Rumors and hypothesis surrounding Vladimir Putin's well being have swirled in latest weeks as Russia's globally-condemned invasion of Ukraine continues.

Russian information outlet Meduzahas reported that a few of the Russian political elite are sad with the present state of affairs however assume that "solely a serious well being challenge may drive the president from workplace."

Between February 24 when the invasion began and Might 27 this 12 months, Russia's invasion of Ukraine has killed 4,031 civilians within the nation together with 92 ladies, 100 boys, and 69 youngsters whose intercourse was not but recognized in keeping with the Workplace of the UN Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights.

Whereas the Russian chief's well being is being questioned now amid rumors of most cancers or Parkinson's illness, media studies up to now have offered a really totally different image of Putin—one in all a wholesome president with a liking for sports activities and a dislike of smoking.

Listed here are some issues about Putin's way of life which have been reported lately, although Newsweek couldn't independently confirm them.

Putin's Lifestyle Rumors
Rumors and hypothesis surrounding Vladimir Putin's well being have swirled in latest weeks. On this mixture picture, Vladimir Putin rides a horse throughout his trip outdoors the city of Kyzyl in Southern Siberia,2009. An insert of Quail eggs and a Deer each depicting a few of the Russian Prime Minister's well being rituals from through the years.Getty

His 'Easy' Weight-reduction plan

Varied studies exist about how Putin's eating regimen works and what he eats. Again in 2014 Ben Judah, writer of Fragile Empire: How Russia Fell in and Out of Love with Vladimir Putin, wrote in a Newsweekarticle primarily based on a number of interviews that the president tends to eat a late breakfast described as "substantial" that always incorporates cottage cheese. Judah additionally described him as being keen on quails' eggs.

Different studies are extra imprecise, together with one from Pravda, a newspaper as soon as owned by the Soviet communist get together, which acknowledged that he prefers wholesome meals and has a liking for fish, although that is tough to confirm.

Most lately, Russian state-owned information company TASS acknowledged in March 2021 that Putin enjoys meals described as "easy" however avoids baked meals, citing an interview with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov within the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.

A Lack of Smoking and Ingesting

One other declare attributed to Peskov is that Putin doesn't approve of smoking and that there aren't many people who smoke within the president's shut circle.

In keeping with TASS in 2019, Peskov instructed reporters: "The president has by no means accepted of smoking as a result of he advocates a wholesome way of life."

So far as ingesting goes, Putin will not be teetotal and has even acknowledged himself that he would generally get bottles of German beer despatched to him by Germany's former chancellor Angela Merkel.

"Angela sends me some bottles of Radeberger beer on occasion," he mentioned in a 2018 marketing campaign video in keeping with EuroNews.

But he has been essential of Russia's ingesting tradition and in 2010 put plans in place to chop alcohol consumption in Russia in half inside a decade. A World Well being Group report 9 years later discovered that Russia, which it mentioned "has lengthy been thought-about one of many heaviest-drinking nations on the planet," noticed its alcohol consumption lower by 43 % from 2003 to 2016.

Sporty Picture

Putin playing ice hockey
A photograph of Putin taking part in hockey in Sochi, Russia in February, 2020. Putin has usually been portrayed as sporty.Mikhail Svetlov/Getty

It has lengthy been recognized that Putin has a well-crafted macho and sporty persona. Over time numerous pictures of the chief have been launched by Russia's presidential press service together with snapshots of him searching, flying on a motorized hold glider, fishing shirtless, and taking part in hockey.

"As Putin reaches his sixtieth birthday, it is essential for him to painting the picture of vigor, youth, well being, dynamism," Clifford Gaddy, a Brookings Institute economist specializing in Russia, instructed Politico again in 2014. Putin is now 69.

Former U.S. president Barack Obama had a notable opinion on the best way Putin was offered or offered himself a number of years in the past. "My sense is that is a part of his shtick again dwelling politically as eager to seem like the robust man," he instructed NBC Information.

Deer Blood Declare

Earlier this 12 months, Russian investigative information outlet Proekt reported that Putin would sometimes bathe himself in blood obtained from deer antlers—an exercise that's "torturous" for the animals however allegedly has well being advantages in keeping with its advocates, although there may be not conclusive proof for this.

The exercise was initially really useful to Putin by Sergei Shoigu, then-head of the Ministry of Emergency Conditions within the mid-2000s and Putin has allegedly gone on to do it a number of instances.