VLADIMIR Putin has added fuel to rumours that his health is on the decline after pictures taken today showed him looking mad-eyed.
The Russian president, 71, displayed a surprising range of emotion throughout his meeting with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in St Petersburg on Monday.
The leaders were meeting to discuss how they could deepen their close alliance, which has already seen the deployment of some of Russia's nuclear weapons on its neighbour's territory.
Putin spoke of the significance of Russia's relationship with Belarus, particularly during times of foreign pressure, such as today.
Lukashenko has relied on Russia's support to rule the ex-Soviet nation with an iron fist for nearly three decades now.
The Belarusian president returned the favour in February 2022, when it allowed the Kremlin to use their territory to send troops into Ukraine.
But arguably one of the most compelling elements of the evening was the bizarre gurning faces Putin pulled while next to Lukashenko.
One picture in a series of fascinating snaps shows him with his eyebrows raised high as if in shock, while another has him with his forehead furrowed, eyes wide, and lips smacked together.
The extreme range of his emotional spectrum could be a sign his health is in poor shape, as has long been rumoured.
DESPITE Putin's cultivation of himself as an “action man” - questions have long been raised over his health.
The , according to reports and could lead to possible signs of a .
Parkinson rumours have been thrown towards the Russian president as well as pancreatic cancer after bombshell documents were shown to The Sun.
A persisting tale is that scores of Putin lookalikes - who have undergone years of painful plastic surgery - are ruthlessly trained by the FSB and kept under “constant surveillance”.
Based on the day-to-day shifting nature of Vlad’s face and strange changes in his behaviour, commentators have alleged these stand-ins frequently attend public appearances, walkabouts and meetings.
Alongside all of this, some other tell-tale signs have loomed over him for years.
He is regularly seen twitching on his public sightings and is unsteady on his feet, and .
Mad Vlad has been seen while watching a parade in 2022, and was even seen as he spoke with a glass of champagne in his hand.
But his alleged health issues hit a new low after it emerged that he apparently during a fall at his home.
Putin has been from IV treatment on the back of his hand – amid rumours he may have been suffering from other forms of cancer as well, including stomach cancer.
The ageing president is also followed around by a huge team of doctors who reportedly chaperone him on all of his trips in case of a medical emergency.
He was recently spotted looking so sick and bloated that even his pals said they no longer recognised him.
Putin reportedly said to a small group of people in Chukotka: "When I meet my classmates or fellow university students, they often look at me and say - ‘I don’t believe it, is it actually you, or not you?’"
Some believe he uses body doubles to trick the public into believing he is fit and healthy, while others the Kremlin is using body doubles to cover up its leader's death.
In December, the Russian president left many scratching their heads as he refused to stand within 70ft of Britain's new ambassador to Moscow for "sanitary reasons" at a diplomatic ceremony.
In a similar scene at the peak of the Covid pandemic, Putin was pictured standing metres away from other officials.
He arrived through an enormous golden door adorned by Russian flags and delivered his speech from across the grand hall - speaking at them rather than to them.
Putin told those in attendance: "Unfortunately, for sanitary reasons, we cannot talk more, socialise.
"I hope that better times will come, not only in politics but also in healthcare, and we will be able to do so."
Many have speculated he is showing signs of a brain tumour, multiple sclerosis, and - or - Parkinson's disease.
Documents leaked to The Sun suggest ongoing treatment for cancer.
