Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visibly swollen and vein-covered right hand has reignited a wave of speculation over the 73-year-old leader’s health, as new images showed him clenching his fist in apparent discomfort during a recent public appearance.

Putin was seen addressing a group of loyalists at a sports event on a basketball court when cameras captured what appeared to be pronounced swelling and bulging veins along his right hand. The footage — widely shared by Russian and Ukrainian social media accounts — prompted renewed scrutiny from analysts and online observers who have long speculated that the Kremlin strongman may be battling a serious illness.

“There’s something wrong with Putin’s hands,” said Anton Gerashchenko, a former adviser to Ukraine’s interior ministry, speaking to East2West. “Apart from the fact that they’re covered in blood up to the elbows, his veins are bulging too,” he added, taking a pointed jab at Putin’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian journalist and media figure Dmytro Gordon described the president’s hands as “swollen and sore, with veins bulging prominently on one hand,” calling the photos “deeply unsettling.”

This is not the first time Putin’s health has been the focus of speculation. During the first year of the Ukraine war, photos circulated showing what appeared to be dark spots and possible IV track marks on his hands during military visits. Other images captured him gripping tables tightly during meetings, his hand twitching — gestures that some observers interpreted as possible symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Despite the recurring questions, the Kremlin has consistently dismissed any claims of ill health. Officials have refused to comment on the latest images, continuing a pattern of silence that has only fueled further conjecture.

Putin’s appearance comes as Russia escalates its assault on Ukraine’s Donetsk region, deploying an estimated 150,000 troops in what Kyiv officials have described as one of the most intense offensives since the start of the war.

In a separate controversy earlier this year, Putin was caught on a hot mic speaking to Chinese President Xi Jinping about “the prospects of immortality” through organ transplants and biotechnology — a bizarre exchange that added to the swirl of rumors about his health and longevity obsessions.

The Russian leader is not alone in facing online medical scrutiny. In recent months, President Donald Trump drew similar attention when photos showed dark bruises on his hands — which the White House later attributed to “frequent handshaking.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)