Vladimir Putin is facing renewed scrutiny over his health after the Kremlin briefly posted and then removed an unedited video from Moscow on March 7 showing the Russian president coughing, clearing his throat and asking to restart part of his International Women's Day address. The footage, first reported by The Moscow Times, has revived long running speculation around Vladimir Putin, including old rumours about serious illness and even claims that body doubles are being used, though none of that has been confirmed and much of it should be treated with a grain of salt.
For context, the news follows years of recurring claims about Vladimir Putin's wellbeing, many amplified by his opponents, online conspiracy circles and foreign media, but rarely supported by hard evidence. A 2023 New York Times report on leaked US intelligence material said documents suggested Putin might have been undergoing chemotherapy while also stressing that no evidence had emerged to prove he was seriously ill or near death.
