Has Putin Recovered From Reported Cancer? Rumors of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s declining health have circulated for the past several years and intensified in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Photographs of the Russian president sitting on one side of a 20ft-long table with world leaders sitting on the other end sparked discussions about his fears of catching the virus, and footage of his hands and legs shaking even prompted rumors that he may be suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
But according to filmmaker Oliver Stone, who has met Vladimir Putin on multiple occasions since 2015, the Russian president has previously suffered from cancer and has since recovered.
What Did Stone Say?
During an interview on the Lex Fridman Podcast last week, the Oscar-winning filmmaker described his experiences filming with the Russian president between 2015 and 2017, and again in 2019.
He also suggested that the Russian president is no longer suffering from cancer.
“Remember this, Putin has had this cancer and I think he’s licked it,” he said. “But he’s also been isolated because of COVID.”
Stone interviewed Vladimir Putin over a dozen times over two years for his “The Putin Interviews” documentary series. The series was released in 2017 and offered an insight into Vladimir Putin’s life, his role in Russian society, and the inner workings of the Kremlin.
During the interviews, Putin even offered an insight into his personal life and revealed that he was now a grandfather.
During the Lex Fridman podcast, Stone suggested that Putin’s isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic may have prompted him to take military action in Ukraine, and suggested that he may have “lost touch” with people.
Recent Blood Cancer Rumors
New Lines magazine reported earlier this month how a Russian oligarch was secretly recorded talking about the Russian president’s health, revealing that he was suffering from blood cancer. The oligarch, whose identity was not revealed, said that he hoped the “crazy” president would die of his cancer.
The magazine said that the oligarch had knowledge of Putin’s condition, and that he was “very ill with blood cancer.” New Lines said that their investigators had authenticated the voice and identity of the oligarch but chose not to release the information as it would likely lead to a retaliation from the Kremlin, putting his or her life in danger.
The oligarch also said that Putin’s back problems, which have been reported on many times over the years, were connected to his blood cancer condition, and that he had surgery in October of last year.
A Russian news outlet also said that Putin was suffering from thyroid cancer. Proyekt claimed that Putin had been visited by a cancer surgeon several times over the last four years.
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society.
