Putin's TV comments fuel health rumours, Kremlin scrambles to quash concerns

Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks led to online speculation about the possibility of underlying health concerns, which his aides were quick to dismiss.

Fresh speculation about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s health has surfaced following comments he made during a televised appearance on Friday, prompting the Kremlin to issue swift denials.

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting of the presidential council for the development of physical culture and sports in Ufa on October 17, 2024. (AFP)

The 72-year-old leader appeared alongside health minister Mikhail Murashko in a segment encouraging citizens to receive flu vaccinations. During the broadcast, Putin mentioned undergoing "regular examinations" at the Central Clinical Hospital in Moscow, which sparked a wave of rumours about his well-being.

"Doctors at the Central Clinical Hospital, where I undergo all sorts of regular examinations, also recommend getting vaccinated with domestically produced drugs," Putin said, in what was intended to promote flu vaccines, according to media reports.

However, his remarks led to online speculation about the possibility of underlying health concerns, which his aides were quick to dismiss. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov moved to downplay the rumours, stressing that Putin’s statement referred to routine check-ups.

"He meant routine medical examinations," Peskov told reporters, brushing off concerns about the president’s condition.

Putin health rumours

This latest round of speculation follows claims from Ukrainian intelligence officials that Putin has been using body doubles at some public events. In 2022, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraine's military intelligence, alleged that variations in Putin’s appearance — including differences in his ears — indicated the use of stand-ins. The claims resurfaced earlier this year, with Andriy Yusov, another Ukrainian intelligence official, asserting that Putin’s visits to occupied Ukrainian regions were "staged" with doubles.

"Putin uses doubles," Yusov told Ukrainska Pravda, stating that intelligence and expert analysis supported the claims. He also cited a visit to southern Ukraine in March as an example, calling the appearance "hastily organized" and pointing out discrepancies in the leader’s behaviour and physical characteristics.

Though such theories have been widely circulated, they remain unproven, and the Kremlin has consistently denied any use of body doubles or concerns over Putin’s health.