Russian President Vladimir Putin has sparked more speculation that he is suffering from health deterioration after he was photographed watching a military parade with his legs covered with a thick green blanket.
The official was one of the few attendees that used a covering on his legs while he sat among elderly World War II veterans as the country celebrated Victory Day. The Russian president was seen wearing a buttoned-up black puffer jacket with a victory ribbon tied to his chest while he observed military soldiers and vehicles roll by in the nation's famous Red Square.
Putin's Allegedly Deteriorating Health
The thick green blanket was initially left at Putin's seat when he first arrived at the viewing platform. Many people believed that the temperature in the area at the time of the parade was around nine degrees Celsius.
Rumors have begun to spread about Putin's alleged deteriorating physical and mental health amid the heavy burden of commanding the invasion of Ukraine. There have been persistent reports that he is suffering from Parkinson's and is due to undergo cancer treatment in the following months, as per The Sun.
The Russian president did not use the thick green blanket at first and instead tucked it next to him when he first sat down on his chair. He later gave a speech that lasted for 11 minutes, where he claimed that his country was fighting Nazis in Ukraine while accusing the West of planning to invade Crimea.
The 69-year-old then covered only his knees, prompting one online user from Twitter to comment that the heavy blanket was an interesting detail. Despite the widespread rumors, the Kremlin has not acknowledged the rumors.
According to the New York Post, former British diplomat Sir Tony Brenton noted that Putin has been locked away as a result of COVID-19 for the last two years and has only recently started to re-engage. He added that the people who have spoken with the Russian president, such as French President Emmanuel Macron and Americans, have reported less coherence from the Kremlin leader.
Widespread Rumors
Brenton said that this brought along reasons to be worried about Putin's health and condition but warned that people should still be careful about what they wish for. The rumors about the official's health were first spread after he was seen looking swollen and awkwardly gripping a table for support.
Another incident that supported the rumors was during a meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, where he appeared to experience leg tremors. On multiple occasions, Putin was seen walking with a heavy step as if trying to disguise a limp.
In the incident where Putin grabbed onto a table for support, he was in a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. For the entirety of the meeting, which lasted roughly 12 minutes, the Russian president held onto the table's corner.
Prior to ordering the invasion of Ukraine, Putin had hosted Lukashenko in Moscow, where he was seen clutching his chest and shaking. And most recently, a U.S. media claimed that the Russian President could temporarily hand over his powers to someone else if he does undergo surgery, ABP Live reported.