Putin Health Fears Re-emerge As He Suffers Coughing Fit During Speech

During his yearly New Year's Eve speech, Vladimir Putin started coughing, adding to the suspicions that his health is deteriorating, The Daily Star reported.

The Russian ruler gave a monologue in front of Russian military personnel that was intended to be a stirring message to the Russian people, but it lost its impact when he started coughing, said reports.

For several months, there have been persistent rumors about his deteriorating health because the 70-year-old frequently makes public appearances while looking worse for wear.

On Twitter, in a clip posted by journalist Francis Scarr, part of Putin’s speech is shown in a seven-second clip in which he hurriedly clears his through three times, each time sounding like he has less control over it.

The autocrat gave a rambling speech about Russia's challenging year and the challenging decisions its leaders had to make, with people in military gear clad standing behind him.

Once again, he promised victory for Russia over the “neo-Nazis” and claimed that the West was giving everything it had to use Ukraine as a tool to damage Russian sovereignty.

The Russian ruler talked about the false claims made by the West regarding peace and about Ukraine and its people being used as a tool to weaken and divide Russia.

"The West lied about peace," he said. "It was preparing for aggression ... and now they are cynically using Ukraine and its people to weaken and split Russia.

Putin also talked about Russia not allowing such incidents to occur in the past.

"We have never allowed this, and never will allow anybody to do this to us," he added.

People in the background were displeased when they noticed a woman beside him during his address.

With blonde hair, she looked extremely similar to a woman who appeared in the crowd at a church service photo opportunity with the Russian president.

She also appears to have been aboard a fishing boat, possibly as a crew member.

In a publicity stunt, she is also said to have been seen as the mother of a soldier.