Vladimir Putin appeared nervous and unbalanced at the midnight liturgy on Orthodox Easter, sparking new rumors about his health, according to Western media.
The Russian president was seen biting his lip and looking down unsteadily at his feet as he stood in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior next to the city’s mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Putin was distracted by a church service led by Patriarch Kirill, who supported the invasion of Ukraine, according to the Daily Mail.
The video shows how the Russian leader is baptized, but he does it deliberately slowly. According to observers, his actions were typical of a person suffering from Parkinson’s disease, which causes tremors, slowness of movement and stiffness.
Reuters reported that Putin refused to say “He has truly risen” along with the rest of the flock.
The Russian leader’s poor posture and visibly swollen face and neck have once again fueled rumors about his health.
“Putin’s legs also looked rather weak, suggesting he may be suffering from muscle or weight loss,” said Eric Bassi, a body language expert at Texas Tech University.
“Many doctors convince me that he is sick, and the most convincing diagnosis is the early stage of Parkinson’s disease,” said British professor Guitian Prince.