Putin health fears as despot coughs and splutters uncontrollably on TV | World | News
Vladimir Putin had to halt the recording of his TV broadcast marking International Women’s Day when he coughed and spluttered uncontrollably. The Russian autocrat, 73, was forced to redo the recording.
But in a major blunder by his propaganda machine, they released the entire sequence – showing Russian people his coughing fit. The video is likely to raise new questions about Putin’s health, with earlier revelations from investigative journalists that he never travels without a top thyroid cancer specialist surgeon. There were even claims from Ukrainian sources that an insider may have deliberately leaked the embarrassing footage.
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“You build an image of a young and strong leader [Putin], and then someone leaks one video, and this whole image collapses, and a sick, decrepit old man appears before everyone,” commented war analyst Denis Kazansky.
“It seems that it was leaked on purpose, because the sick senile man has annoyed everyone.”
Putin recorded his eulogy marking today’s [March 8] International Women’s Day – an important holiday in Russia – telling the female population in his country: “Of course, it’s very challenging to juggle everything — to impress with your beauty and charm while simultaneously being hard-working, determined, and resilient.
He struggles to the end of his text suppressing his cough and says to his team: “You know, let me say it again, because I had a tickle in my throat.
He blamed the hoarseness on speaking too much. “I spoke a lot today.”
But then he can’t help repeatedly coughing, several times holding his hand up to his mouth. A male off camera asked him: “Can I bring you some water?”
Putin tries to regain his composure, ordering him: “No. Let’s continue. Let’s get to work……”
After recovering, he started again with his text. ”Dear women, I am sincerely happy to congratulate you on International Women’s Day.
“We always celebrate this holiday with the warmest, most heartfelt feelings…..”
But the coughing and spluttering fit was initially broadcast on official state channels and social media – until the censors stepped in, realising something had gone badly away.
It was then replaced with the newer, edited version, without the coughing.
