What Happened to Make Putin's Coughing Video Disappear at Lightning Speed?

Focus on 73-Year-Old Putin's Health

Speculation Resurfaces Over Parkinson's and Cardiac Arrest Rumors

A video showing Russian President Vladimir Putin coughing during a speech was uploaded to the Kremlin's official Telegram account and then deleted after about four minutes, reigniting speculation over his health.

In the video, President Putin suddenly turned his head away from the camera and cleared his throat while reading his speech. Then, pointing to his throat, he told the filming crew, "I will do it again. My throat is a bit sore. I almost coughed." The Moscow Times

On March 8th (local time), Russian media outlets such as The Moscow Times reported that the Kremlin, the presidential office, had uploaded a video of President Putin delivering a congratulatory message to Russian women in honor of International Women's Day.

In the video, President Putin suddenly turned his head away from the camera and cleared his throat while reading his speech. Then, pointing to his throat, he told the filming crew, "I will do it again. My throat feels a bit scratchy. I almost coughed." He then added, "Perhaps I spoke too much today."

In the video, President Putin suddenly turned his head away from the camera and cleared his throat while reading his speech. Then, pointing to his throat, he told the filming crew, "I will do it again. My throat is a bit scratchy. I almost coughed." The Moscow Times

Afterward, he was seen covering his mouth with his hand and coughing several times, clearing his throat for about 30 seconds. However, the video was deleted about four minutes after it was released. The Kremlin later re-uploaded an edited version of the video, omitting the coughing scene. Some observers have noted that the deletion of the video is fueling further speculation about President Putin's health. President Putin, now 73 years old, has been the subject of various rumors regarding his health in recent years.

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, conveyed a congratulatory message to Russian women on the occasion of 'International Women's Day' at the Kremlin Palace on the 8th. Photo by AP Yonhap News

In particular, in 2022, speculation about a Parkinson's disease diagnosis arose after he was shown sitting with a hunched posture while receiving a report from the Russian Minister of Defense on the capture of Mariupol, a strategic city in southeastern Ukraine. In 2023, some media outlets claimed that President Putin collapsed from cardiac arrest in his bedroom and received emergency medical attention.

Last year, speculation about his health intensified again when he appeared uncomfortable, frequently moving his body while clenching his right hand during a public event at a basketball court. However, the Kremlin has consistently denied these suspicions. Since 2018, the Russian presidential office has emphasized President Putin's good health by annually releasing footage of him immersing himself in icy water for the Russian Orthodox Epiphany (January 19th) tradition. Nonetheless, with the recent deletion of the coughing video, interest and speculation regarding President Putin's health are expected to continue for the time being.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.