Wave of illness in the Kremlin probably triggers great concern for Putin: Did he take direct consequences?
Created: 2022-12-15, 6:32 p.m
By: Richard Strobl
According to current rumors, Putin is worried about a flu epidemic in the Kremlin.
(Archive) © Mikhail Klimentyev/dpa
Rumors have swirled after Putin canceled an important press conference.
Is Russia's President worried about a flu epidemic and taking harsh consequences?
Moscow – On Monday (December 12), Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov surprisingly announced that Vladimir Putin would not hold his traditional press conference before the New Year.
Russia's rulers have held these major press conferences annually since 2001 (except in 2008 and 2012, when Putin was prime minister and not head of state).
Hundreds of Russian and foreign journalists take part in it.
For hours, Putin then asked live questions ranging from foreign policy to everyday problems in Russia.
An important date in the calendar of the Putin regime.
Immediately after this year's cancellation, speculation boiled over as to the reasons.
Putin cancels important press event - rumors are rife
The
German press agency
pointed out, for example, that the Kremlin chief's decision not to hold the big press conference was announced against the background of Russia's military setbacks in the Ukraine war.
The partial mobilization announced by Putin in September as well as severe Western sanctions against the country, which were recently joined by an oil embargo by the EU, could also have led to this.
The Kremlin itself gave no reason for the cancellation.
But apparently there could be another reason: a violent flu epidemic.
At the beginning of December, the Russian news agency
Tass
reported that Russia was being hit by an "aggressive" wave of influenza.
Apparently the H1N1 virus – also known as swine flu – is currently spreading.
"The most unpleasant thing about this situation is that it is precisely this variant of the flu that causes the most serious damage to health," TASS quoted
the
head of the federal health service, Anna Popova.
Flu wave in the Kremlin: Is Putin afraid of illness and isolating himself?
Now the news agency
Novaya Gazeta Europe
reports that Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also pointed out on Monday when the Putin PC was canceled that the Kremlin was also currently being hit by a flu epidemic.
“Many people in the Kremlin” are affected.
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That's why rumors are circulating, especially in the British media, that Vladimir Putin could have canceled the press conference to protect himself from contracting the flu.
The
Mirror
, for example, reports rumors that Putin will retire by the New Year for health and safety reasons.
The portal also takes up speculation that Russia's president could isolate himself in a bunker.
These details are not officially confirmed.
Putin as a hypochondriac?
Russia's president is relaxed in public
On the other hand, Putin's great fear of illness has often been reported.
For example, overly long tables at which Putin met politicians from other countries during the Corona crisis caused a stir - apparently so as not to have to get too close to them.
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The photo distributed by the Russian state news agency TASS shows Russian President Vladimir Putin (l) and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at a meeting in the Moscow Kremlin.
(Archive) © Vladimir Astapkovich(dpa
It is clear that Putin takes the flu epidemic very seriously, at least personally.
Tass
announced
on Tuesday (December 13) that Russia's president had been vaccinated against the flu.
“So I'm reporting – I got [a stitch] yesterday.
I advise all my colleagues to do the same.
Today in the morning I did sports as usual, routinely, everything is normal, no questions asked," the news agency quoted Vladimir Putin as saying.
The
TASS
also notes that Putin is currently apparently not affected by the flu and is doing well.
