Is Russia's Putin sick?

Is something wrong with Vladimir Putin? That’s the question lighting up social media after fresh images of the Russian President showed his right hand looking unusually swollen and sore.

In the viral videos, the 73-year-old leader appears to clench his hand in discomfort while addressing a crowd of supporters, a moment that many online viewers quickly picked up on.

Putin’s right hand has long been a subject of speculation, and this latest appearance has once again stirred rumours that the Russian leader may be battling an undisclosed illness.

Here’s what we know so far.

Is Putin battling severe health issues?

The latest round of speculation over Vladimir Putin’s health began after a video showed him standing stiffly in a sports hall in the Russian city of Samara.

The clip, taken during an event where the chair of the Healthy Fatherland movement, Ekaterina Leshchinskaya, briefed him on a proposal to ban vaping in Russia, was posted on the Kremlin’s website. The event took place on November 6.

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In the footage, Putin, who has held power as either president or prime minister since 1999, can be seen standing near a basketball hoop, his hands held tightly by his sides, noticeably clenched.

A new video surfaced of putin and there’s something really wrong with his hands. Russians online are starting to worry their ruler isn’t okay.

Nevertheless, we hope he never gets well. pic.twitter.com/NUmqwFMBnW

— Saint Javelin (@saintjavelin) November 10, 2025

Anton Gerashchenko, a former adviser to Ukraine’s interior ministry, commented on the footage, saying, “There’s something wrong with Putin’s hands. Apart from the fact that they’re covered in blood up to the elbows, his veins are bulging too.”

Ukrainian journalist and media personality Dmytro Gordon echoed the observation, describing the Russian President’s hand as “swollen and sore, with veins bulging prominently on one hand.”

After the clip surfaced, social media users flooded X and Telegram with theories, speculating that Putin could be battling a neurological or circulatory disorder.

What's with Putin's hands in this video? https://t.co/hF5yqgEFei pic.twitter.com/xl5Wopj2ID

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) November 9, 2025

Some even compared his symptoms to those of Parkinson’s disease, however, others said it was in line with the normal pattern of ageing.

While there is no official confirmation or medical evidence to support these claims, they come just months after Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, 72, enthusiastically discussed biological innovations which might allow them to live to 150.

“Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become,” he had said. “People used to rarely live to 70, but now at 70 you are still a child.”

Putin’s health has long been the talk of the town

This isn’t the first time Putin’s health, particularly his hands, has been in focus.

A few months after the Russia-Ukraine war began, photos showed mysterious dark spots on his right hand during a military visit, setting off alarm bells online.

In April 2022, another viral video showed Putin gripping the edge of a table tightly while speaking to then–Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, fuelling speculation about his condition.

And in October 2024, when Putin disappeared from public view for two weeks, the Kremlin had to clarify that he was simply undergoing “routine medical examinations” in Moscow, insisting there were “no health problems.”

The Kremlin has consistently dismissed reports about Putin’s alleged illnesses, labelling such stories as “fake” and refusing to comment further.

Putin isn’t the only one

Interestingly, Putin isn’t the only world leader whose hands have drawn public curiosity.

Earlier this year, former US President Donald Trump faced similar speculation when photos showed dark bruises on his hands.

The White House later explained that the marks were the result of “tissue damage from frequent handshaking,” combined with aspirin use as part of his “standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.”

with input from agencies