Kremlin peephole footage reignites questions over Putin’s health
Images filmed through a partially open Kremlin door as Vladimir Putin hosted Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko have fuelled renewed speculation about the Russian president’s health.
Video captured through a crack in a Kremlin door during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has drawn widespread attention, reviving long-standing claims about Putin’s health. The footage shows the 73-year-old leader appearing tense and visibly fatigued, prompting fresh debate in international media.
Unfiltered moment inside the Kremlin
Observers noted that Putin appeared markedly aged, with a sagging chin and tired eyes, as he sat down for tea with Lukashenko. According to Russian state TV propagandist Pavel Zarubin, who filmed the encounter, the two leaders discussed “difficult and sensitive issues,” including tensions in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine.
Some commentators questioned whether airing such footage could have consequences, asking whether the cameraman might face repercussions for showing the president in what they described as a “haggard” state. Others suggested Putin seemed unaware he was being observed.
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Renewed health speculation
The latest images have revived earlier reports claiming that Putin withdrew from public view for several weeks before launching the war in Ukraine, allegedly accompanied by a cancer specialist. Independent outlet The Insider previously reported that senior surgeon Dr Yevgeny Selivanov from Moscow’s Central Clinical Hospital travelled with Putin during that period.
Past claims have also suggested that Putin sought anti-ageing treatments, including Botox or filler injections, dating back more than a decade. In 2010, visible marks under his eye during a visit to Kyiv were speculated to be injection-related, though the Kremlin dismissed those claims as poor lighting or fatigue.
Kremlin denies health concerns
Over the years, various unverified allegations have surfaced regarding potential thyroid or abdominal cancer and other medical conditions. The Kremlin has consistently denied any health problems, insisting that Putin remains fit and fully capable of carrying out his duties.
Despite repeated denials, the newly surfaced footage has once again placed the Russian president’s physical condition under international scrutiny.
