THE Kremlin has rushed to deny claims that Vladimir Putin’s health is failing in an unprecedented move.
It comes after the Russian president, 72, admitted in a televised meeting that he has been regularly undergoing medical examinations at a top hospital in Moscow.
Vladimir Putin admitted in a televised meeting that he has regularly been seeing doctorsEast2West
Putin appeared tired during the meeting which saw officials rush to deny that he has health issuesEast2West
East2WestDuring a separate meeting, the President was seen scratching his face in what some have said could be a side-effect of repeated Botox[/caption]
A sickly Putin appeared in pain as he was seen tightly gripping a table
“Doctors at the Central Clinical Hospital, where I undergo all sorts of regular examinations, also recommend getting vaccinated with domestically produced drugs,” Putin said.
Also part of the meeting was Russia‘s health minister Mikhail Murashko who supported his boss’s calls for people to get vaccinations.
However, attention was quickly drawn to the dictator’s comments after years of speculation about his health.
Putin’s aides quickly quashed any concerns surrounding the President’s condition.
The Russian leader “has no health problems” state news agency TASS insisted while reiterating that Putin’s medical visits were routine appointments.
“He meant routine medical examinations,” Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Rumours about Putin’s health have swirled for years after the president’s “strongman” image took a hit due to dramatic changes in his appearance.
He has been seen looking exhausted, out of breath, having difficulty walking, and pulling bizarre gurning faces.
There have also been times when Putin appeared to be in some kind of pain as he strongly gripped tables while in meetings, sparking rumours of Parkinson’s.
Around the same time in 2022, experts started noting his “bloated” and “weakened” appearance with some claiming he could have had thyroid cancer.
It was initially suggested that Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine on February 24 may have been sparked by his failing physical condition.
The leader’s strict isolation rules during the Pandemic also sparked ideas that the dictator who started spending long periods in isolation had been worried about catching Covid while undergoing some form of treatment.
At the tail end of the pandemic when restrictions were being lifted across the world, Putin’s abnormally large meeting table for public appearances was widely mocked and continued to generate concern.
Most recently, footage emerged of the leader appearing to scratch at his face during another televised meeting on Wednesday.
Putin’s rumoured health issues
DESPITE Putin’s cultivation of himself as an “action man” – questions have long been raised over his health.
The leader’s facial features have been seen changing over time, according to reports and could lead to possible signs of a serious disease plaguing Putin.
Parkinson rumours have been thrown towards the Russian president as well as pancreatic cancer after bombshell documents were shown to The Sun.
A persisting tale is that scores of Putin lookalikes – who have undergone years of painful plastic surgery – are ruthlessly trained by the FSB and kept under “constant surveillance”.
Based on the day-to-day shifting nature of Vlad’s face and strange changes in his behaviour, commentators have alleged these stand-ins frequently attend public appearances, walkabouts and meetings.
Alongside all of this, some other tell-tale signs have loomed over him for years.
He is regularly seen twitching on his public sightings and is unsteady on his feet, and out of breath on occasion.
Mad Vlad has been seen clutching a thick blanket while watching a parade in 2022 and was even seen swaying and slurring as he spoke with a glass of champagne in his hand.
But his alleged health issues hit a new low after it emerged that he apparently soiled himself during a fall at his home.
Putin has been pictured with suspected track marks from IV treatment on the back of his hand – amid rumours he may have been suffering from other forms of cancer as well, including stomach cancer.
The ageing president is also followed around by a huge team of doctors who reportedly chaperone him on all of his trips in case of a medical emergency.
It is rumoured that he has undergone repeated botox treatments which could have caused itchiness.
‘A MYSTERY TO ALL’
The Sun has previously been told by experts and doctors that there is no doubt that his health has deteriorated.
Rumours have even swirled that the despot has a body double as he attempts to cling to power for as long as possible.
“If you watch Putin closely, it’s hard to avoid the suspicion that often some of the appearances you’re seeing are not, in fact, the same person,” Keir Giles, Russia expert at Chatham Hous previously told The Sun.
“You also notice the trends in his health over time. His health does seem to improve and deteriorate in different public appearances.
“There are some times when he looks really quite frail, bloated, puffy, shaking, having to grip onto the table and only giving very short five-minute speeches even on major public events.
“And then there are times when he appears to bounce back as a much healthier individual who is standing up and speaking for 40 minutes.
“But what is actually wrong with him is a mystery to us all.”
However, the despot appears to have no intention of slowing down as he continues to lead the nation and its attack on Ukraine.
In March, the ageing leader won the rigged election to see him continue his reign until 2030 when he will turn 77.
AlamyThe Russian leader has previously been mocked for his abnormally long meeting table[/caption]
AP:Associated PressPutin has long prided himself on his strongman image[/caption]
alamy live newsPutin has often appeared to have low-energy and a puffy face[/caption]