Vladimir Putin is facing critical scrutiny over his health, lead by reports of his aging face, bulging veins and nervous behavior. Battle-hardened commentators suspect that Putin's ailing health could bring his regime to an end, likening his current state to that of former dictators.
A 'fearful and paranoid' Vladimir Putin is facing yet more questions over poor health after he was seen with a swollen and 'visibly aged' face during a Victory Day parade in Moscow.
Over the weekend, Russia celebrated the 81st anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in 1945 with an unusually muted parade that, for the first time in years, featured no armoured vehicles or ballistic missiles. But few listened to Putin's claims at the rally of fighting a 'just' war against Ukraine's 'aggressive force', instead focusing on his bulging cheeks.
Ukrainian commentator Anton Gerashchenko pointed to one unflattering image of the 73-year-old ex-spy, posting: 'The face of a 'victor' and the leader of a 'superpower'. He joked: 'It seems sanctions have even reached Putin's Botox'. Monitoring group Crimean Wind said: 'History shows that many dictators visibly aged before the fall of their regime or their death.
'Scientists link this to chronic stress, paranoid fear of losing power, and isolation, which accelerate the body's ageing. ' Putin's health has long sparked debate. In late 2025, eagle-eyed watchers spotted bulging veins and unusual fist-clenching as he shook hands with a health expert. Vladimir Putin (pictured) is facing yet more questions over poor health after he was seen with a swollen and 'visibly aged' face during a Victory Day parade in Moscow.
Over the weekend, Russia celebrated the 81st anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in 1945 with an unusually muted parade
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