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Rumours over Putin's health renewed as he sits with blanket in parade
Speculations about Putin's health have been on the rise after photographs of him sitting awkwardly while looking bloated emerged from an official meeting and were widely shared on social media.
Speculation surrounding Vladimir Putin's health increased this week after he was seen sitting with a blanket across his legs during a victory parade in Moscow on the occasion of Russia's Victory Day on Monday. American daily tabloid the New York Post posted a photo showing Putin sitting with the veterans of World War II while covering his knees with a blanket.
Putin, wearing a black bomber jacket, was also spotted coughing and limping, according to visuals posted by the English publication Independent. According to that report, the concerns regarding his health arose as Putin was the only one sitting - with additional covering - in relatively mild weather.
Speculations about Putin's health have been on the rise after photographs of him sitting awkwardly while looking bloated emerged from an official meeting and were widely shared on social media.
However, the Kremlin has denied the reports claiming that the Russian leader is in poor health.
On March 9, multiple reports claimed that Putin might undergo cancer surgery while temporarily handing over power to the secretary of the country's Security Council Nikolai Patrushev.
The anticipated surgery and recovery are expected to incapacitate Putin for "a short time," the report - also by the New York Post (citing information from a former Russian intelligence officer) claimed.
Referring to Putin's supposedly "sickly appearance and uncharacteristically fidgety behaviour in public" in recent times, the report said that the Russian president is rumoured to suffer from cancer and a host of other serious maladies, including Parkinson's disease.
A video posted on the Twitter page Visegrad 24 on April 24, showed him before a recent meeting with Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko.
He was seen holding up his hand, which appears to be shaking until he presses it against his chest, and then walking awkwardly toward Lukashenko and hugging him.
Meanwhile, the Belarusian president, a close ally of Putin, has also denied murmurs, stating that he is "healthy, sane and in better shape than ever”.
