Putin Appears Frail With Shaking Legs During Speech – Video footage of Russian President Vladimir Putin looking frail, with his legs buckled and shaking, went viral this week. The footage comes as rumors circulate that the Russian leader was diagnosed with blood cancer.
Putin attended an awards ceremony in the Kremlin on Sunday, making remarks before Russian filmmaker Nikita Milkhalkov took to the stage to accept a prize. The Russian president can be seen swaying back and forth as he made his remarks. His legs appear to buckle, forcing the leader to grab the podium to maintain his balance.
Putin has been caught on camera shaking several times over the years, with some demonstrating discomfort while standing and other clips showing the president’s hands shaking uncontrollably. In April, video footage from February showed Putin’s hands shaking during a meeting with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, forcing him to grip the arm of a chair to keep it under control.
On Sunday, the Russian leader was able to keep his balance and continue with the speech, but the video was widely shared online with users speculating that it could be just the latest indication that he is still in ill health.
Does Putin Have Blood Cancer?
In May, an oligarch close to the Russian leader reportedly claimed that he was “very ill with blood cancer.” The recording was obtained by New Lines Magazine, and a transcript was shared online. The name of the oligarch, however, was kept secret.
“The recording represents rare testimony by someone with proven ties to the Russian government that its fanatical dictator may well be seriously unwell,” the magazine reported at the time.
In the recording, the unnamed oligarch said “ we all hope” that Putin dies from his cancer, or in a coup.
A Telegram channel that claimed to be receiving confidential information from inside the Kremlin also said in May that the Russian president had recently undergone successful cancer surgery and is recovering.
Putin Advised to Avoid “Lengthy” Appearances
According to a report from Telegram channel General SVR, which is purportedly run by a former Russian Foreign Intelligence Service lieutenant general, Vladimir Putin has been advised to avoid “lengthy” public appearances.
“His doctors advised him not to make any lengthy public appearances in the near future,” the channel claimed.
Putin’s legs shaking, he looks unsteady on his feet, fueling more speculation about his health. Video was taken Sunday. pic.twitter.com/TIVfK30tAp
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) June 14, 2022
“The latest argument in favour of not speaking to the public was an incident after a recent one-and-a-half hour video-link meeting with representatives of the military bloc,” the channel continued. “After the meeting Putin felt a sharp sickness, weakness and dizziness while trying to get up from the table.”
The channel claimed that Putin then needed “urgent” medical care.
The claims have not been independently verified.
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.
