A recent video seeming to show Russian President Vladimir Putin coughing repeatedly reignited health concerns over the New Year's holiday.
Putin delivered his annual New Year's Eve message on Saturday, in which he referred to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as a "holy obligation" for the Russian people and a fight for Russia's sovereignty.
Vladimir Putin Health Rumors
However, some saw segments of Putin's speech in which he coughed many times in fast succession, prompting concerns about his purportedly deteriorating health, according to Newsweek. Here's the sequence of Putin's health rumors:
Putin Sparks Concern During New Year's Eve Message
Francis Scarr, a BBC correspondent who covers state-run media in Russia, was among the first to tweet a clip of Putin's talk. As he continues to speak, the Russian leader appears to cough three times over the space of seven seconds.
In response to Scarr, Hareetz.com reporter Sam Sokol referred to Putin as "the sick man of Europe."
The author of the Russian Media Monitor and a journalist for The Daily Beast, Julia Davis, also highlighted Putin's severe cough and restless appearance during the speech.
Tiffany, an additional Twitter user, investigated more into the alleged health concerns troubling the Russian president. The user stated that he was likely suffering from a progressive neurological condition and was attempting to regulate his muscles.
The coughing may have been an attempt to keep the jitters at bay, indicating that the illness is worse, the user noted. Since the beginning of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February, rumors concerning Vladimir Putin's purportedly deteriorating health have received renewed attention.
Concerns were raised before the Russian leader's New Year's Eve speech after the Kremlin stated that Putin's end-of-year news conference would be canceled for the first time in a decade.
Russian President's Spokesperson Refutes Rumors Last Year
Previously, the Kremlin's press secretary rejected such claims as hearsay. In addition, in May of last year, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov attempted to dispel speculations over Putin's health.
This week, the aging dictator did attend a summit of leaders from ex-Soviet governments in St. Petersburg, although the ceremonial session was much shorter than normal.
Per Daily Mail, Putin is rumored to have cancer, Parkinson's disease, and a schizoaffective condition, among other illnesses. According to the General SVR channel, he often records scripted remarks and encounters with other Russian authorities in order to maintain appearances while he is unwell.
It has also been alleged that the Russian president employs "body duplicates" for some events; the General SVR stated that Putin's recent visit to the Crimea Bridge was done by a double.
Last Week, a Source Reveals Putin is Gravely Sick
According to the rumored source, he is also susceptible to "clouding of awareness," which "raises doubts about his capacity to participate in huge events."
It is said that the pressures of his failed war are also taking their toll. As suspicion about Putin's health increases, the Kremlin has now prepared the ground for him to self-isolate.
His spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted that there are now "state security" worries over the condition of the Kremlin leader. He stated, "You witness viral mutations and powerful epidemiological waves of influenza strains of various types."
All of this, in light of the lessons learned during the pandemic, compels those responsible for the president's security and health to take safeguards, since the president's health is an issue of national security under such circumstances.
Beginning of last month, the Telegram channel General SVR predicted that Putin would isolate himself after the New Year. Putin had chosen to "switch to self-isolation" mode after the New Year and spend most of his time in one of his mansions outfitted with a so-called 'bunker.'
Putin has been the subject of persistent rumors that he is gravely sick, with the newest accusations surfacing after explosive espionage papers published by The Sun Online seemed to indicate he had Parkinson's disease and pancreatic cancer.
Putin today conducted a video chat with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, although in recent weeks he has canceled a number of public events. On Wednesday, Putin canceled his second official trip in a week, fueling new rumors about his bad health.
He canceled his trip to Pskov, a city on Russia's borders with NATO members Latvia and Estonia. And he abruptly canceled last week's visit to the tank facility, only for one of the generals who worked there to pass away on Christmas Day.
Officially, he canceled his trip to Pskov due to "unfavorable flight circumstances" during the 180-mile route from St. Petersburg. Nonetheless, both airports remained accessible for incoming and outgoing planes, and photographs of Pskov reveal a completely clear sky.
Putin has also canceled his year-end news conference, address to the Russian parliament and New Year's hockey game.
The rush of sudden cancellations has fueled rumors about his health. Putin's health has been the subject of persistent rumors since he has occasionally appeared twitchy, shaky on his feet, and out of breath.
Per The Sun, it has been hypothesized that he may have stomach cancer or Parkinson's disease. The Telegram channel General SVR also asserts that Putin frequently employs "body duplicates" for certain events.