Putin suffers coughing fit while recording TV message - with footage leaked in propaganda blunder

By WILL STEWART 12:06 09 Mar 2026, updated 12:13 09 Mar 2026

Vladimir Putin had to halt the recording of his TV broadcast marking International Women's Day when he coughed and spluttered uncontrollably.

The Russian autocrat, 73, was forced to redo the recording.

But in a major blunder by his propaganda machine, they released the entire sequence - showing Russian people his coughing fit.

The video is likely to raise new questions about Putin's health, with earlier revelations from investigative journalists that he never travels without a top thyroid cancer specialist surgeon.

There were even claims from Ukrainian sources that an insider may have deliberately leaked the embarrassing footage.

'You build an image of a young and strong leader [Putin], and then someone leaks one video, and this whole image collapses, and a sick, decrepit old man appears before everyone,' commented war analyst Denis Kazansky.

'It seems that it was leaked on purpose, because the sick, senile man has annoyed everyone.'

Putin recorded his eulogy marking today's [March 8] International Women's Day - an important holiday in Russia - telling the female population in his country: 'Of course, it's very challenging to juggle everything - to impress with your beauty and charm while simultaneously being hard-working, determined, and resilient.

'But you manage it.'

He struggles to the end of his text, suppressing his cough and says to his team:  'You know, let me say it again, because I had a tickle in my throat.

'I almost coughed.'

He blamed the hoarseness on speaking too much.

'I spoke a lot today.'

But then he can't help repeatedly coughing, several times holding his hand up to his mouth.

A male funky off-camera asked him: 'Can I bring you some water?'

Putin tries to regain his composure, ordering him: 'No. Let's continue.

'Let's get to work……'

After recovering, he started again with his text.'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…..'

But the coughing and spluttering fit was initially broadcast on official state channels and social media - until the censors stepped in, realising something had gone badly wrong.

It was then replaced with the newer, edited version, without the coughing.

It was the second howler in a week by Putin's 'highly professional' propaganda operatives.

Earlier, a 'death mask' image of Vladimir Putin was shown in an unguarded video filmed through a crack in a Kremlin door.

The unfiltered moment showed the haggard dictator tense, tired, markedly aged, with a sagging chin and weary eyes.

The peephole image came when Putin entertained his closest international ally, Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko, in the Kremlin.

Earlier it was revealed that top Moscow oncologist Dr Yevgeny Selivanov, of Moscow's Central Clinical Hospital, flew with Putin on dozens of trips.

The thyroid specialist was one of an army of up to 13 medics accompanying Putin on his travels.

Surgeon Selivanov was once pictured close to an officer holding Putin's nuclear briefcase.

Symptoms of thyroid cancer include the appearance of a thick nodule in the thyroid area; hoarseness of voice; difficulty swallowing; pain in the neck and throat; enlarged lymph nodes in the neck; a dry cough, scratchy or scratchy feeling in the throat or behind the sternum.

In another blow for Putin, Donald Trump downplayed the impact of any help Russia is giving to Iran in the current Middle East conflict.

'If they are, it's not helping [Iran] very much, if you take a look at what's happened to Iran in the last week,' the US president told reporters.

This follows reports Putin is offering spy satellite intelligence to Tehran.

Several years ago there were also reports that Putin had suffered from abdominal cancer and other ailments.

There were even claims that drugs to treat his cancer may have distorted his mind when he launched the war in Ukraine.

The Kremlin has always insisted that Putin is entirely healthy.

And there is evidence that his health has improved in recent years, following a wave of earlier speculation over his condition.

He has appeared more energetic and voices his hopes for longevity.