Vladimir Putin's latest appearance fuels more rumours about his health

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Friday 17 February for talks on increasing their military and economic cooperation amid the war in Ukraine. And it only sparked more rumours about Putin’s health.

Vladimir Putin mocked online

A video from the meeting showed Putin constantly moving his legs and feet, fuelling mockery and speculation about his health online.

Ukrainian internal affairs advisor Anton Geraschchenko tweeted:

Is this Morse code?

Twitter user Luis da Cruz joked that Putin was trying to convey:

Guys, I love to dance American Rock'n'Roll!

Rui Rio also made fun of the Russian President, tweeting that he's:

Training to be a drummer.

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Speculation about Putin's health

Meanwhile, others focused on how the video may provide clues to the state of Putin's health. News outlet Visegrad wrote that he 'couldn't control his legs' and:

Looks like something is wrong.

Twitter user Brent Erikson wrote:

Looks like restless legs syndrome (RLS). Cause of RLS is still unknown. Some cases are believed to be inherited & some have been linked with nerve damage from diabetes, kidney problems, certain medicines, pregnancy, sleep disorders, and alcoholism.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common issue for people with Parkinson's disease, and it has long been rumoured that Putin suffers from this disease. However, RLS can also be a separate condition unrelated to Parkinson's.

The account Tendar, which has 140,000 followers and regularly posts updates about Russia’s war in Ukraine, wrote:

Putin’s continuing problem to control his legs and arms has been visible again today... This man is medically sick. Russia’s losing war will most certainly expedite his worsening condition.

Read more:

⋙ Vladimir Putin's 'poor health' is making him 'depressed' and unable to make decisions, claims reports

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Sources used:

- Newsweek: 'Video of Putin's Constant Leg Movements Sparks More Health Speculation'

- AP News: 'Russia, Belarus discuss closer military, economic ties'

- Parkinson's UK: 'Restless legs'