Russian President Vladimir Putin (68), may step down in early 2021 after speculations suggest that he may have Parkinson’s disease, according to reports. Putin’s 37-year-old girlfriend, Alina Kabaeva, and his two daughters are urging him to quit his post, a report in The Sun quoted Moscow political scientist Valery Solovei as saying.
Parkinson’s disease affects the brain and can cause shaking and stiffness!
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Vladimir Putin has served more than 20 years as Russian president over two terms, and recently won a referendum on changing the term limits for leaders of the country.
The speculation has come amid Russian lawmakers considering legislation proposed that would grant ex-presidents lifetime immunity from criminal prosecution.
“Observers who studied recent footage of Putin noted his legs appeared to be in constant motion and he looked to be in pain while clutching the armrest of a chair.”
“Reviewed footage also appeared to show his fingers twitching as he held a cup that possibly contained medicine,” a report in The US Sun claimed.
“There is a family, it has a great influence on him. He intends to make public his handover plans in January,” Moscow political scientist Professor Valery Solovei has told The Sun.
Very soon after the reports became public, “Putin” became the top trend on Twitter with netizens in surprise and disbelief. For many, the news of Putin’s early retirement adds to the chaos and confusion surrounding the US Presidential Elections which is also getting worldwide coverage.
Russia rubbished the claims
The Kremlin on Friday rejected the reports on the Russian President health as “untrue”. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the media report based on Solovei’s assertions, which was widely picked up by other British tabloid newspapers, was false.
“It’s absolute nonsense,” said Peskov. “Everything is fine with the president.”
Asked if Putin was planning to step down in the near future as Solovei had suggested, Peskov said: “No”.
Although Russia has claimed the UK reports as “untrue”, the speculations about Putin’s health is still on. Many experts have said that we cannot just directly believe in whatever Moscow will say as they have a history of hiding the information, especially something related to the top administration.
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