Putin seen walking awkwardly after stepping out of a automotive at China summit | News World

Vladimir Putin’s unusual gait has raised more questions over his health after he appeared to limp on the China summit.

The Russian president is desperate to portray an invincible image like countless dictators before him, and a significant a part of that’s hiding any health troubles enemies could latch onto.

Fresh doubts were solid over the 73-year-old’s health after he was seen traipsing out of his Bentley-style automotive during a gathering with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Putin appeared to walk normally at first before taking a rather limping step as he approached the red carpet and Xi. For a moment, it seemed his foot might give in.

While observing the troops next to the Chinese leader, Putin appeared to match his steps, and any sign of a limp was hardly detectable.

Nevertheless, those hoping to see Putin in ailing health is likely to be disillusioned, Russia expert Stephen Hutchings cautioned.

The Russian president has learned to navigate speculations about his health, which have been swirling for greater than a decade as he ages, Hutchings, a professor of Russian studies on the University of Manchester, told Metro.

He said: ‘A few of it’s wishful pondering.

‘Any slight deviation from what is likely to be considered normal physical appearance is immediately seized upon as evidence of some underlying health problem. There are stories about him having cancer or liver conditions.’

Ageing Putin may need suffered a numb foot during his automotive ride, or a twisted ankle prior to now, he said.

Many of the speculation has all the time revolved around his physical health because Putin rarely stumbles in his words or lets out bizarre rants – unlike his colleague, US president Donald Trump, who has dropped the F-bomb publicly.

Hutchings said: ‘Putin stays as fluent and articulate as he ever has been. He has this annual meeting with the press, and he answers questions sometimes for six hours. 

‘One would struggle to seek out evidence of Putin’s mental ability failing, except that over a time frame, he has develop into more paranoid and ever more imprisoned in his own world view and propaganda, and that’s distorting his judgement.’

While analysts outside Russia can freely zoom in on Putin’s possible health woes, these reports won’t ever be widely circulated within the country, where the Kremlin keeps a decent control over media and the web.

Nevertheless, Putin’s popularity at house is on the decline, driven by a change in attitudes towards the war in Ukraine and Putin’s failure to progress it, and a slowing economy, the professor said.

‘The general sense is that Putin’s image is tarnished, but not because of a physical issue but due to the problems with the economy and failure to realise his goals in Ukraine,’ he added.

Get in contact with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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