In a startling revelation, Russian President Vladimir Putin was recently overheard discussing the pursuit of immortality with world leaders Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un at a summit in Beijing, shedding light on his deep-seated fear of mortality.
According to the Daily Mail, this news story uncovers Putin's extreme efforts to extend his life through bizarre practices like bathing in reindeer blood, alongside persistent rumors about his declining health and secretive medical protocols.
Putin, known for his iron-fisted rule over Russia, has a long history of political repression, election rigging, and military aggression, including the invasion of neighboring countries. Despite cultivating a public image of strength through activities like shirtless horseback riding and judo, the 72-year-old leader is reportedly haunted by the specter of death. Over the years, he has dedicated significant resources to researching methods to prolong his life, a fixation that has become increasingly evident.
As early as 2012, signs of Putin's health struggles began to surface when he postponed foreign trips to Pakistan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan during the autumn and winter months. That September, during an Asia-Pacific summit in Vladivostok, he was observed limping and confided in Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov about being on a restricted diet. Sources at the time whispered concerns, with one anonymous insider telling reporters, "The chief is not well," while another noted that foreign visits were being canceled due to his condition.
One of the more peculiar methods Putin has adopted in his quest for longevity is the use of reindeer blood, a practice he began in 2003 on the advice of a local governor in Russia's Altai region. He believes this ritual strengthens the body, slows aging, and boosts male vitality, consuming the blood and even bathing in it during regular visits to the area. Every year, thousands of Siberian red deer have their antlers cut by farmers to supply blood for baths, creams, pills, and drinks, catering to Russia's elite, including Putin and his close associates.
In the Altai region, farms host exclusive 'antler broth' sessions, and in 2016, over 150 pounds of reindeer antlers were reportedly prepared specifically for Putin's use. Ludmila Korotkhih, a farm manager, explained to CNN, "Of course it's not a drug." She added, "It's more of a supplement. But it makes our immune system strong, heals the body and gives us great strength, men's libido in particular."
Putin's fascination with these remedies isn't a solitary pursuit; in 2015, he even took former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to the Altai region to share the experience. His access to exclusive medical treatments, unavailable to ordinary citizens, further underscores the lengths he will go to defy aging. Beyond folk remedies, Putin has also turned to modern science, with close friend Mikhail Kovalchuk leading efforts to combat aging through state-backed research.
Kovalchuk, who heads Russia's Kurchatov nuclear research institute and is a prominent figure in the Russian Academy of Sciences, has been tasked with finding solutions for cognitive decline, cellular aging, and immune system enhancement. Last year, Russian scientists under his direction were urgently ordered to submit their findings, with one anonymous researcher telling Meduza, "We were asked to urgently send all our developments, and the letter arrived, let's say, today, but everything had to be sent yesterday." A Kremlin source confided to The Times, "Kovalchuk is crazy about eternal life … and he ran to the president [with the idea]."
Over the years, Putin's physical appearance has undergone a dramatic transformation, shifting from the image of a fit KGB officer to a more frail, bloated figure with signs of cosmetic interventions like Botox and facelifts. By his third inauguration in May 2012, nearing age 60, he still projected a strongman persona through displays of physical feats, but by his fourth inauguration in May 2018, after the annexation of Crimea in 2014, his smoother, rounded facial features hinted at surgical enhancements. Post-2010s, observers noted weight gain and a decline in his physique, fueling speculation about underlying health issues.
Rumors of serious illnesses, including cancer and Parkinson’s disease, have long swirled around Putin, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring earlier this year, "will die soon, and that's a fact." Reports from the onset of the Ukraine conflict suggested he was accompanied by a cancer specialist and possibly undergoing chemotherapy, according to a leaked U.S. intelligence document. Recent images showing red eyes, a mysterious bruise on his hand, and a neck scar have intensified theories of thyroid cancer surgery.
Adding to the speculation, Putin's bodyguards reportedly collect his waste during foreign trips to prevent foreign intelligence from analyzing his health, a practice dating back to his early years in power around 2000 and documented during visits to France and Saudi Arabia in 2017 and 2019. This mirrors historical tactics, such as when Joseph Stalin had Chairman Mao's waste analyzed in 1949 for psychological profiling during a visit to Moscow. More recently, last month at a summit in Alaska with Donald Trump, Kremlin footage captured Putin's knee jolting repeatedly, with observers noting fidgeting and speculating about the use of supportive devices.
At the Beijing summit just a day before this report, marking the 80th anniversary of World War II’s end, Putin engaged in a candid exchange about immortality with Chinese President Xi Jinping, also 72. Xi remarked via a translator, "Earlier, people rarely lived to 70, but these days at 70 you are still a child." Putin responded, "Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become, and (you can) even achieve immortality."
Xi added, "Predictions are, this century, there is also a chance of living to 150," reflecting a shared optimism about medical advancements. Meanwhile, experts like Brenda L. Connors, a senior fellow at the Naval War College, have theorized about Putin’s physical quirks, noting, "When we are unable to do something, really hard work becomes the way." Connors further suggested, "He is like that ice skater who had a club foot and became an Olympic skater," pointing to a resilience shaped by physical challenges.
Amid these health rumors, Putin travels in a luxury armored train worth 6.8 billion rubles, equipped with anti-aging devices, a gym, and advanced communication systems, with annual upkeep costing 1.45 billion rubles. Speculation about body doubles for public appearances continues, as they analyze his movements, with some experts suggesting past injuries or developmental issues affecting his physicality. Whether driven by fear or fascination, Putin's relentless pursuit of a longer life remains a captivating, if unsettling, aspect of his controversial leadership.