Fresh rumours over the health of Vladimir Putin have arisen after he appeared to be clutching his chair with a purple hand during a meeting with the Cuban leader.
A video published on the Kremlin’s website showed Putin and the Cuban head of state, Miguel Díaz-Canel y Bermúdez, deliver speeches at the unveiling of a monument to Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro in Moscow.
The “traditional friendship” between the two nations was hailed in the meeting with the bronze statue of Castro flanked by Russian military guards.
But in the film Putin can be seen looking uncomfortable and tightly gripping with his hand a chair.
The Russian leader's hand also appeared to have a purple colour and he gave an overall shrunken appearance alongside the Cuban leader while his face looked bloated and palid.
At the same time as in previously published clips, Putin was continually moving his feet and rumours continue to circulate that he is unwell possibly with cancer.
Earlier this month Russian opposition Telegram channel General SVR, which has long claimed Putin is suffering multiple serious illnesses, said his health has become even worse due to "stress" caused by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The channel - which claims to have secret sources in his Kremlin circle - posted that Putin has left himself in a "blind corner" and he will go into "self-isolation" mode next year.
It said: "The president's health, which, against the backdrop of constant stress, is increasingly causing concern for doctors and Putin's relatives.
"Due to cancer, Putin has serious digestive problems and has been on a strict diet for the past few months."
He also suffers "bouts of coughing, dizziness, sleep disturbances, abdominal pain, constant nausea", as well as symptoms of Parkinson's disease and schizoaffective disorder, it has been claimed.
Putin gave a speech during the meeting with the Cuban leader where he underscored Castro’s history of defiance, praising him for “selflessly defending the sovereignty of (his) native country” and drawing parallels with Western sanctions imposed on Russia in connection with its military campaign in Ukraine.
“The Soviet Union and Russia have always, and continue to this day, to support the Cuban people in their struggle for independence, sovereignty. We have always stood against any sorts of restrictions, embargoes, blockades and so on. We have always supported Cuba on the international stage and we see that Cuba takes the same position towards Russia,” Putin said.
