Kathrine Frich
Images of Vladimir Putin taking part in a traditional winter ritual have circulated widely in pro-Kremlin media in recent days.
Presented as fresh footage, the material was meant to show the Russian president observing an Orthodox holiday.
It did not take long, however, for doubts to emerge about when the images were actually recorded.
Festive display
Russian state agency RIA Novosti published a photo and video of Putin allegedly immersing himself in icy water to mark the Orthodox feast of the Baptism of the Lord, also known as Epiphany.
“Traditionally, Putin would dive into an ice hole on Epiphany,” read the message shared on Telegram, alongside the footage.
The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, later confirmed that Putin had taken part in the ritual, according to reporting by Belsat.
Timeline questioned
Belsat reported that the materials promoted by pro-Kremlin outlets were not recent.
According to the outlet, the video dates back to 2022, while the photograph was taken even earlier, in 2018. The presentation of the images as current therefore raised questions about their authenticity and intent.
Observers noted that visual details in the footage helped identify it as archival material rather than a new recording.
Orthodox tradition
Cold-water immersion is a long-standing tradition in the Orthodox Church during Epiphany celebrations. Believers enter freezing water, often through holes cut in ice, as a symbolic act of purification and a reenactment of Christ’s baptism.
Putin has been publicly associated with the ritual for years, with similar images released on multiple occasions in the past.
Regional echoes
Belsat also drew attention to a separate recording involving Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
In that footage, Lukashenko is shown allegedly entering icy water at temperatures of around minus 15 degrees Celsius, a display likewise linked to Epiphany traditions.
The reuse of older material, however, has fueled skepticism about how such images are deployed by state-aligned media.
Sources: RIA Novosti, Belsat, O2
