Vladimir Putin’s hands have been scrutinized by social media users in the latest round of speculation about the Russian president’s health.
A clip of a Putin appearance at a public event posted on Sunday led to some questioning his “bloated” hands with “swollen” veins.”
Since the start of his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Putin has been subject to claims without evidence that he was in ill-health, which the Kremlin has repeatedly denied.
Newsweek has contacted the Kremlin for comment.
Why It Matters
Amplified by images of him doing judo or horse riding, the Russian president has always presented an image of robust health.
However, he has also faced repeated claims that he was in ill health since he launched the war in Ukraine.
This speculation has proliferated on social media about conditions which range from neurological disorders to cancer—although the Kremlin has consistently denied that the 72-year-old leader is suffering from any serious illness.
What To Know
The latest speculation about Putin’s health emerged in response to a clip of the Russian president standing in a sports hall in the city of Samara.
The chair of the Healthy Fatherland movement, Ekaterina Leshchinskaya , told the president about an initiative to completely ban vaping in Russia, according to the Kremlin website, which said the event took place on November 6.
As Putin stood in front of a basketball hoop, he held his hands by his side clenched. Next to clip, the news outlet NEXTA posted how “social media users are puzzled by what happened to the hands of the Russian dictator — they look extremely painful.”
Other social media users also raised questions about his health although there were no claims about what condition Putin was allegedly suffering from.
Former Ukrainian interior ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko posted on X: “What’s with Putin’s hands in this video?”
In November 2024, Putin’s hands were the subject of speculation with Gerashchenko posting on X how video showed they were “not moving and look like they are separate from his body”.
In October 2024, the Kremlin had said that Putin had no health problems after he had not been seen in public for two weeks. The Kremlin said that Putin had visited a Moscow hospital for medical examinations.
In April 2022, a video of Putin gripping a table while talking to former Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu had also prompted speculation about the condition of the leader, who has always cultivated an image of robust health and machismo.
What People Are Saying
Former Ukrainian interior affairs adviser Anton Gerashchenko said on X: “What’s with Putin’s hands in this video?”
Pro-Ukrainian X user Jürgen Nauditt added: “On social media, people are wondering what happened to Putin’s monster hands. Or at least to one of the Putins.”
Another X user posted: “Putin, apart from being mentally sick, might also be physically sick. His hands are bloated with the veins very swollen.”
What Happens Next
The Kremlin has not yet commented on the latest claims about Putin’s health with speculation likely to continue as the war in Ukraine rages on.
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