Vladimir Putin was caught having a coughing fit in a now-deleted video from the Kremlin, reigniting speculation about the Russian president’s health. In an outtake from a recorded address for International Women’s Day, the 73-year-old leader could be seen clearing his throat before repeatedly coughing and gesturing towards his neck.
According to The Moscow Times, Putin said: “You know, let me say that again, because… my throat’s a bit scratchy. Yes, a bit scratchy. I almost started coughing. I’ve been talking a lot today.” The video was posted to the Kremlin’s Telegram channel, then deleted without explanation. A separate video without the coughing fit was later uploaded by the presidential press service.
Kremlin press pool journalist Alexander Yushanev dismissed the incident as a “weekend mistake”, saying no investigation was being conducted. “Did someone seriously think that all video materials are written in one attempt? Or that a person can’t clear their throat after a nearly three-minute speech?” he asked.
Ukrainian journalist Denys Kazansky speculated that the Kremlin “leaked it on purpose because everyone is fed up with this ailing, senile old man”, according to The Telegraph. This is not the first time concerns have been raised about Putin’s health, with unverified claims over the years of Parkinson’s disease, cancer, cardiac arrest and neurological decline.
Sir Richard Dearlove, former head of MI6, said in 2024 he believed Putin had Parkinson’s disease, citing contacts in Eastern Europe who think “there is something fundamentally wrong with him medically”. However, he added: “I’m not a clinician.”
