Putin Watches Victory Day Parade With Blanket Over His Legs As Speculations Continue Over His Health

As rumors continue to swirl around Vladimir Putin's health, the Russian President was seen sitting with a thick green blanket across his legs during the Victory Day parade.

Putin, who sat among elderly World War II veterans, was one of the only attendees using the covering, reported The Sun. As he watched soldiers and military vehicles roll by in Moscow's popular Red Square on Monday, he was seated wearing a buttoned up black puffer jacket. A victory ribbon was tied to his chest.

But he covered his legs with a thick green blanket. It had been kept on his seat when he first arrived at the viewing platform. He seemed to have not used the blanket at first. He moved and tucked it next to him when he first sat down.

He then gave an 11-minute speech in which he claimed Russia were fighting Nazis in Ukraine. He also accused the West of planning to invade Crimea. But after his speech, he was seen with the thick blanket across his knees. Throughout the rest of the parade, he appeared in reasonable fitness. He even went for an extended walkabout in what may have been an attempt to dispel rumors about his poor health.

Former British diplomat Tony Brenton said that the "heavy blanket is an interesting detail." He noted that there have been "regular rumors of ill health in Putin, which of course have not been acknowledged by the Kremlin." He added, "But he has been locked away as a result of Covid for the last two years and is only now having to re-engage." He shared that people who have interacted with him, have reported back "less coherence than they are used to getting from him," so there are reasons to be "worried about him."

According to Metro, the blanket was not missed by observers on social media. One posted a footage of Putin’s wrapped up, and said, "It’s cold on Red Square today." Another alleged that the Russian leader had pinched a blanket from a veteran after noticing they were also using them.

Express reported that former head of the British Army Lord Dannatt said that Putin looked "puffy" and did not appear to be "moving freely."

Journalist John Sweeney noted that Putin had a blanket on his knees, had his "cheeks full" and looked like a "hamster stuffed with steroids."

There have been persistent reports he is suffering Parkinson's and is expected to undergo cancer treatment soon.