May 02, 2022

Is Putin Ailing?


Is Putin Ailing?
Putin then and now. Ailing or just aging? You be the judge. Kremlin.ru

In recent days, it has been reported that President Vladimir Putin will be going under the knife – cancer surgery – and that he will temporarily relinquish his powers to his éminence grise Nikolai Patrushev, the conspiracy loving hawk and "former" FSB head.

This has led to a spate of conjectures about the state of Putin's health, including resurrection of past rumors that he has Parkinson's (most notably citing his jittery movements in this February video of his meeting with Belarusan President Aleksandr Lukashenko).

 

As further evidence, some also cited Putin's unsteadiness, biting of his lips, etc. in last month's Easter Service. Yet in recent speeches there have been no indications of unsteadiness or slurring of speech.

Meanwhile, others have speculated that the president's puffy face is a sign of steroid use - potentially to treat some form of inflammation – or perhaps just plastic surgery.

Finally, another line of conjecture has just arisen from publication of the below Kremlin photo of Putin in his office as he made his horrific announcement of the attack on Ukraine. Notice the strange nodules or swelling on Putin's left hand.

Putin in his office.
February 24, 2022 / Kremlin Press Service

One doctor contacted Russian Life to suggest that this might be evidence of some sort of systemic, fatal illness. Another we contacted offered that it looked most like Dupuyten's contracture, a non-fatal condition caused by knots of tissue forming under the skin and contracting the fingers.

Regardless, the lack of openness and transparency regarding the health of Russia's leaders is nothing new. The reality is we must simply wait and see what develops. Or doesn't.

You Might Also Like

The Body Politic
  • May 01, 1997

The Body Politic

A revealing retrospective on Russian leaders' health, from Lenin to Yeltsin -- what they have sought to cover up, and why.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955