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A new wave of speculation about Vladimir Putin's health was sparked by his appearance at Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on Saturday morning, with commentators and analysts describing a visibly tired and aging Russian president.
During this year's parade to mark the 81st anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany, many observers focused not on Putin's statements about the war in Ukraine, but on his image.
Photos and videos from the event showed the 73-year-old Russian president with a visibly swollen face and strong signs of fatigue, sparking a flurry of comments on social media and in the Ukrainian press.
'Fearful and paranoid' Putin faces fresh questions about his health after he is seen with swollen and 'visibly aged' face during Victory Day parade https://t.co/qiQIwGdDqr
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) May 11, 2026
Ukrainian commentator Anton Gerashenko characteristically posted a close-up photo of Putin, writing ironically: "The face of a 'winner' and leader of a 'superpower'."
"It seems that the sanctions even reached Putin's Botox," he emphasizes.
References to stress, fear and isolation
Putin has arrived at Red Square.
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) May 9, 2026
A massive security presence. It looks like there are almost as many guards as guests.
Putin is afraid of his own people - that's good. pic.twitter.com/91wursq6uX
The Crimean Wind monitoring group has argued that many dictators throughout history have shown marked physical aging shortly before their regimes fell or died.
"Scientists link this phenomenon to chronic stress, paranoid fear of losing power, and isolation, which accelerate the aging of the body ," the group said.
Putin's health has been the subject of debate and rumors for years. In late 2025, observers noticed bulging veins and unusual movements in his hands during a meeting with 22-year-old Ekaterina Leschinskaya, the head of the "Healthy Fatherland" movement.
The parade ended at lightning speed — just 45 minutes.
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 9, 2026
The Kremlin boss immediately rushed off Red Square surrounded by heavy security.
Putin, what's with the face? pic.twitter.com/IlqPUGHuQj
"Alone and isolated"
Ukrainian commentators also reported that Putin appeared more isolated than ever, surrounded by increased security measures.
Analyst Alexei Kopytko argued that even the most fanatical supporters of the war seem to be losing their enthusiasm.
"At the parade, the center of attention was not a superpower leader, but a tired old man with a worried look," he commented.
As he said, cameras often recorded the "tight, sad faces" of people in Putin's inner circle, as he spoke of an unprecedented presence of security agents around the Russian president.
"Either he himself is afraid, or someone is terrorizing him even more. He seems alone and isolated in his own bubble of security," he said.
At the same time, according to Ukrainian estimates, Russia lost about 7,480 soldiers killed, wounded or captured in the war in Ukraine in the first week of May.
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