Contents
Cancer, parkinsonism, mental illness – these are just some of the many diseases that are attributed to Vladimir Putin. The dictator’s attitude and behavior during public speeches is the subject of analyzes and speculations whose authors want to prove that the health of the president is already hanging in the balance. The image of Putin, which emerged from the celebration of this year’s Victory Day in Our Country, is not so clear-cut, although one detail may confirm theories about his serious condition.
- Among the most common theories about Vladimir Putin’s health are Parkinson’s disease, thyroid cancer and treatment with steroids, which would be responsible for changes in the appearance of his face.
- Part of the speculation was confirmed during this year’s Victory Day celebrations. Putin was “hiding” his left arm again, he was swollen and visibly tired, and his legs were covered with a thick blanket, even though the temperature in Moscow did not require it
- – Vladimir Putin – a blanket on the knees, full cheeks, a hamster stuffed with steroids – summed up journalist John Sweeney on Twitter
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
Putin’s health is controversial and speculative
For months the media has been competing in analyzing the posture, movements, facial expressions and behavior of Vladimir Putin during public appearances. There are not many of them, because the dictator rarely leaves his secret bunker. Therefore, when he appears in front of the camera, every gesture, even the smallest one, is taken under the magnifying glass. Doctors and body language specialists managed to read quite a lot from the materials.
One of the most repeated theories is that of progressive Parkinson’s disease. The development of dementia in Putin would be evidenced by symptoms such as trembling hands or slow movements, also of the facial muscles. It has been noticed that during public appearances, the president is trying to control the involuntary trembling of his left hand by grabbing his hand against a table or podium or by holding it close to his body. He also has a clear difficulty in mastering his leg movements (the characteristic stomping is visible, for example, during the meeting with Sergey Shoygu), and his facial expressions seem limited and forced.
This theory does not agree with, among others prof. Konrad Rejdak, president of the Polish Neurological Society, head of the Department and Clinic of Neurology at the Medical University of Lublin, who in an interview with TVN24 commented on Putin’s unusual behavior.
Despite some suggestions, it was difficult to see Putin’s symptoms typical of Parkinson’s, such as slowness, tremors, gait disturbance or a characteristic posture, so it is very unlikely that he will have this condition. Therefore, those present with him I would personally attribute symptoms and behavioral changes to drug-induced effects or secondary disorders related to some underlying disease that is carefully hidden – he explained.
Does Putin have cancer?
The second disease Putin was “diagnosed” with is cancer. The symptoms of thyroid cancer are not easily discernible, so journalists traced the activities of the president and his closest circle. The investigative journal “Proekt” revealed that in recent years, Vladimir Putin has been extremely frequently visited by doctors, mainly otolaryngologists and oncologists.
One of them was seen especially often with him – it was Yevgeny Selivanov, an oncological surgeon who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid cancer. According to journalists, the doctor has visited Putin at his home in Sochi at least 35 times in recent years. Even more often his guest was Alexei Szczyglow, an otolaryngologist with whom Putin was to have 2016 consultations in 2020-59.
The rest of the article is available under the video.
The president is taking steroids or is he suffering from a mental illness?
Another disease that the dictator has to contend with is mental illness. Here the experts are divided. Some believe that it is an undiagnosed form of mania or psychosis, schizophrenia. According to others, Putin’s suspected mental disorders are the result of many years of pharmacotherapy, in particular steroid treatment.
The fact that the president of Our Country takes steroids has been talked about for a long time. Initially, it was suspected that the changes in his face (the clear filling of some facial muscles) were caused by the use of Botox, but it was quickly noticed that Putin’s wrinkles were still visible and his face was still swollen.
This theory was confirmed by Leonid Niewzlin, a former oligarch, currently staying in Israel.
What we used to think of as the Botox effect is actually the long-term effects of steroids. Steroids are hormonal preparations that are taken in a variety of cases – in oncology, autoimmune diseases and others. Putin has long been under the influence of steroids, according to doctors, and this may be related to the nature of his illness. It can be an oncological disease and steroids can be used to treat it to prevent relapses, Niewzlin explained in an interview with independent journalist Julia Latynina.
New reports on the health of Vladimir Putin
All these speculations are verified on the occasion of each new public speech by Vladimir Putin. This was also the case during this year’s Victory Day celebrations in Our Country. Interestingly, though, according to some experts, this time the president looked slightly better than last time, some details may confirm the theories about Putin’s poor health.
Journalist Jason Jay Smart, a political consultant and correspondent for Ukrainian online media, drew attention to the fact that Vladimir Putin moved and spoke quite smoothly; he even went for a long walk, though he was still clenching his fist, tucking his thumb inside his hand. Weight gain was also visible, but it is possible that the reason is a bulletproof vest hidden under the clothes.
Smart also noted the fact that the president did not maintain a social distance and often shook his hand to greet the people invited to the celebrations. This is a significant change in the behavior of recent months, when Putin clearly distanced himself from his interlocutors during meetings (exaggerated according to many), which suggested that he was afraid of being infected with the coronavirus. For many, this observation was a confirmation of the theory that there is an oncological disease in which any infection may turn out to be lethal.
It is not known whether Putin’s health has actually improved or is not as bad as it is believed, whether the dictator makes a bad face and tries at all costs to prove to the world that he is in good shape.
Closer to the latter theory are the observations of Sir Tony Radakin, Admiral of the Royal Navy, who noted that Vladimir Putin’s legs during the Victory Day parade were wrapped in a thick blanket, even though the temperature in Moscow was 9 degrees Celsius.
The president covered his legs with it on the viewing platform as he watched the parade of troops and military equipment on Red Square. The moment he got up to begin his speech, the blanket was no longer visible.
Radakin said it was an “interesting detail”, especially in the context of recent accounts of people who spoke directly to the president, such as Emmanuel Macron and US officials. They were to say that Putin’s statements were less coherent than before.
According to many observers, despite strenuous efforts, Putin has not managed to conceal that he is weak and tired.
John Sweeney went even further in his observations, claiming even the spectacular parade was not able to obscure the marked deterioration of Putin’s appearance. The journalist called the president “a hamster stuffed with steroids”.
What is the actual health of Vladimir Putin? The answer to this question, apart from the person concerned, is probably known only to the doctors of the president. The rest are still just interpretations that may or may not be true. Ultimately, as one Twitter user aptly pointed out, the media put dictators on their deathbeds for decades before they actually leave this world.
We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we devote it to epigenetics. What is? How can we influence our genes? Do our elderly grandparents give us a chance for a long and healthy life? What is trauma inheritance and is it possible to somehow oppose this phenomenon? Listen: