Vladimir Putin may be suffering from a neurological condition revealed by one key symptom, a doctor has claimed. The 72-year-old Russian president was spotted acting strangely during a press conference in Astana, Kazakhstan last november, sparking concerns for his health. His legs appeared to be twitching uncontrollably, forcing him to clutch the lectern and shift his weight between each foot while maintaining a wide stance.
The jerking movements began in his left foot before moving to his knee, with his leg seeminly moving of its own accord while Putin wobbled from side to side. Medical experts speculated on the cause of the twitching, with New York-based urologist Dr. Bob Berookhim saying it could be a neurological condition.
He said: “Movements like this could stem from neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s. But one-off incidents don’t tell the full story – it’s the pattern over time that matters.”
Going back even further to 2023, Putin was also seen twitching in his seat during a meeting with Belarusian President Alexandr Lukashenko. Footage showed the Russian leader walking stiffly and shaking as he walked to greet his key ally.
In 2022, the Kremlin was even forced to try and quash rumours shared by the General SVR Telegram channel claiming Putin had soiled himself after falling down a flight of stairs – reportedly defecating “involuntarily” due to “cancer affecting his stomach and bowels.”
The Telegram channel, which has frequently speculated about Putin’s health, claimed he had suffered a “cardiac arrest”.
It alleged doctors resuscitated the Russian President before he was rushed to a special intensive care facility at his official residence.
A post read: “Doctors performed resuscitation, having previously determined that the president was in cardiac arrest. Help was provided on time, the heart was started and Putin regained consciousness.”
Separately, pictures showed him with red eyes and a bruise on his hand, as well as others showing a scar on his neck – sparking speculation he may have received treatment for thyroid cancer.
Abbas Gallyamov, who worked as Putin’s speechwriter during his first two terms as president up until 2008, also believes his former boss showed signs of more serious health issues two years ago.
He told the Express earlier this year: “He definitely has some problems. Journalists are writing about cancer, but what we saw back in 2022 looked more like the consequences of a mini-stroke.”
