Russian President Vladimir Putin has sparked intense scrutiny about his health after he was spotted clenching his “swollen and sore” hands while addressing supporters.
The 73-year-old has been the subject of much speculation concerning his health after the former KGB man launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Rumours of a serious condition, ranging from Parkinson’s to cancer, have dogged the Russian leader despite the Kremlin’s insistence that he remains in rude health.
Speaking on a basketball court in Russia, President Putin’s hands appeared to display prominent bulging veins beneath thin, wrinkled skin.
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Throughout the event, President Putin kept his hands clenched firmly at his sides in what observers described as an apparently uncomfortable position.
The footage, which emerged last week, has triggered widespread discussion across social media platforms.
Ukrainian officials quickly seized upon the imagery to raise questions about potential health issues affecting the Russian leader.
Kyiv’s former interior ministry adviser Anton Gerashchenko questioned the state of Putin's hands in a social media post, asking: "What's with Putin's hands in this video?"
"They look swollen and sore, with veins bulging prominently on one hand," journalist Dmytro Gordon observed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has fuelled speculation about his health in a public appearance
|GETTY
"They look swollen and sore, with veins bulging prominently on one hand," Journalist Dmytro Gordon observed.
The Kremlin acknowledged in October that Putin had been hospitalised in Moscow following a two-week absence from public view.
This marks the latest episode in the ongoing scrutiny of President Putin’s condition, including previous instances of his hands demonstrating potential ill health.
During the initial phase of the Ukraine conflict, observers noted a dark mark on the Russian president's hand during a military visit.
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Observes spotted apparent signs of illness on President Putin's hands
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Mr Putin has also been filmed gripping tables whilst speaking, with his hands displaying involuntary movements that some interpreted as potential symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
The Russian leader has been rumoured to have undergone cancer treatment several times in 2014, 2020, and 2022.
He is also said to travel with an entourage of doctors to assist him in case of a medical emergency.
"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,” Russia expert Keir Giles said.
The Kremlin acknowledged in October that Putin had been hospitalised in Moscow following a two-week absence from public view
|GETTY
The expert also noted the stark differences in Mr Putin’s appearance, from looking healthy at one event to looking sick at the next.
"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,” Mr Giles said.
He added that the Russian leader’s health was a “mystery to us all” while speaking to The Sun.
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