Putin Coughs And Splutters In Leaked Kremlin Video, Sparks Fresh Speculation About His Health

The Kremlin accidentally published and then quickly deleted unedited footage of Vladimir Putin experiencing a severe coughing fit. The footage shows the 73-year-old Russian president coughing and clearing his throat for approximately 30 seconds while recording a televised address for International Women's Day. According to Newsweek, Putin was recording a tribute to women on March 8 when he began coughing and spluttering, forcing him to halt the speech. An unedited version of the video was posted to the Kremlin's official Telegram channel for roughly four minutes before being replaced by a polished, edited version that removed the interruptions. 

In the leaked clip, which has now gone viral, Putin addresses women, saying, "Of course, it's very challenging to juggle everything, to impress with your beauty and charm whilst simultaneously being hard-working, determined, and resilient. But you manage it."

Seconds later, he is seen gesturing towards his neck and heard saying, "You know, let me say that again, because... my throat's a bit scratchy. Yes, a bit scratchy. I almost started coughing. I've been talking a lot today." 

After regaining composure, he restarted the address: "Dear women, I am sincerely happy to congratulate you on International Women's Day. We always celebrate this holiday with the warmest, most heartfelt feelings..."

Newsweek verified the clip using an AI detector, and it suggests the footage is authentic.

Watch the video here:

The Kremlin has published an unedited Putin's 8th of March address to women. In the video, Putin is coughing and asks for another take.

Neither Putin's administration nor journalists of the Kremlin's circle noticed this episode and published the video on all social media.

I… pic.twitter.com/57DBYcmVwq

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) March 7, 2026

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and other officials dismissed the initial publication as a "weekend mistake" while maintaining that Putin is in "excellent health." Some Ukrainian analysts suggested the video might have been leaked intentionally by insiders to undermine Putin's "strong leader" image.

Health Speculation

The video has reignited long-standing, unverified rumours regarding Putin's health, though the Kremlin and Western intelligence have frequently dismissed such claims. 

Some users also noted Putin appeared visibly tired with a "strained" expression during a recent meeting with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

In November last year, another video showed the Russian leader's right hand wrinkled and with bulging veins. He looked uncomfortable and was seen clenching his hands into fists when he met with 22-year-old Yekaterina Leshchinskaya, who heads the Russian Healthy Fatherland movement. 

Previous speculation has included unconfirmed claims of cancer or Parkinson's disease, often fueled by observations of hand tremors or medical personnel allegedly accompanying him on trips.