A video of a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon on Monday sparked new rumors that the Russian leader may be ill.
In a clip shared by Russian media and picked up by the Ukrainian news agency Daily Ukraine News, Putin can be seen continually fidgeting as he talks to his Tajik counterpart, behavior that appears to contradict the leader’s normal conduct.
The unusual behavior was also likely noticed by Rahmon, who can be seen watching Putin twist his toes and heels as he talks about the security of Tajikistan.
Rumors have been circulating for the past few weeks that Putin may be seriously ill, with a February 18 clip showing the Russian president’s hand shaking uncontrollably as he welcomes Belarusian leader Aleksander Lukashenko to Moscow.
In a recording obtained by the American magazine New lines Last weekend, an unidentified Russian oligarch can be heard saying that Putin is “very sick with blood cancer.”
These claims have not been confirmed by the Kremlin.
This is breaking news and will be updated later.
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