Kathrine Frich
Power often comes with a carefully crafted image, one that leaves little room for signs of weakness.
But whispers from Moscow are stirring again, this time about Vladimir Putin’s eyesight and his insistence that all is perfectly fine.
Reading from large print
Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly dismissed concerns about his vision, insisting he doesn’t need glasses.
Still, observers have noticed that he often reads his speeches from papers printed in unusually large type, a detail that hasn’t gone unnoticed.
The long-ruling leader recently shot back at comments from eye surgeon Georgy Stolyarenko, who compared Putin to “a car that still needs a technical inspection no matter how good it looks,” according to LA.
Speaking at a ceremony honoring Russia’s “Heroes of Labor,” Putin said, “My [eyesight] has always been [good]. About five or six years ago I had a checkup, and they told me it was between 0.9 and 0.8 [good but not perfect].”
Ignoring advice
Doctors have reportedly recommended that Putin start wearing glasses. The president himself recalled,
“They gave me glasses. The first time I put them on, I felt dizzy. I thought, if I don’t take them off now, I’ll have to wear them for the rest of my life.”
Stolyarenko urged Putin not to ignore medical advice, but the president responded curtly, saying,
“I undergo medical examinations regularly. Every year I dedicate two full afternoons to that.”
Despite his claims, footage and photos have shown Putin using notes in very large font. Kremlin insiders are said to have tried to conceal this detail, though not always successfully.
Hidden health network
In 2022, the independent outlet Proekt revealed that Putin travels with at least nine doctors and that his residences in Valdai and Gelendzhik on the Black Sea contain fully equipped hospital wings.
The president is also known for embracing unconventional treatments, including so-called blood baths made from Siberian deer antlers.
They are believed by some to boost vitality and male strength.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, speculation about Putin’s health intensified. One Telegram channel, General SVR, even claimed that Putin had died in 2023 and been replaced by a body double.
At the time, former CIA director William Burns countered the rumors, saying Putin was “too healthy.”
Yet as the war in Ukraine enters its third year, questions about the Russian leader’s health and the possible use of doubles continue to circulate.
This article is made and published by Kathrine Frich, which may have used AI in the preparation
