- Putin was frequently visited by a large team of doctors, Russia’s Proekt news agency said.
- There has been much speculation about the state of health of the Russian President.
- Putin bathes in blood extracts from severed deer antlers as a form of alternative medicine, the report said.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin has been visited 35 times by a thyroid cancer doctor, a new investigation says.
Russian investigative news agency Proekt revealed that a team of doctors frequently visited the 69-year-old Russian president at his residences or accompanied him on trips amid mounting questions about his health.
Yevgeny Selivanov, an oncologist specializing in thyroid cancer, flew 35 times to visit Putin at his Black Sea residence and spent 166 days in his presence, the report said.
Two ear, nose and throat doctors, Igor Esakov and Alexei Shcheglov, visited the Russian President even more frequently.
According to the report, Alexei Shcheglov flew to see Putin 59 times and spent a total of 282 days with him between 2016 and 2020.
Thyroid disorders, including cancer, are usually first diagnosed by an otolaryngologist, after which an oncologist and surgeon become involved in treatment, a doctor told Proekt.
The outlet determined which doctors spent time with Putin at his residence in Sochi by examining hotel accommodation contracts posted on the government procurement website.
The days when doctors stayed in hotels in Sochi coincided with Putin’s official visits to the city or times when he mysteriously disappeared from public view, the report said.
The average number of medics in Putin’s entourage has risen from five in 2016 and 2017 to nine in 2019, the report said.
Other team members included anesthesiologists, a neurosurgeon, an infectious disease specialist, and an intensive care physician.
In some cases, the number of medics attending to Putin in Sochi increased when Putin likely underwent surgery or major surgery, likely on his back, the outlet said.
Putin has also included bathing in blood extract from severed deer antlers as a form of alternative medicine, the report said.
The Russian President took up this alternative therapy on the recommendation of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. The deer blood is said to improve the cardiovascular system and rejuvenate the skin.
The deer’s horns are cut off while they are still alive, and animal rights activists have likened this to plucking out a person’s fingernails.
A Russian red deer. Evgeny Haritonov/Getty Images
There has been much speculation about the state of health of the Russian President for years.
Putin has long cultivated a macho strongman image, and the Kremlin has kept his potential health issues under wraps.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Putin went into strict self-isolation and was later pictured at meetings with foreign leaders, sitting at one end of a very long table.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) meets French President Emmanuel Macron (R) February 7, 2022 in Moscow, Russia. Kremlin Press Office/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Putin was not seen in public in September 2021. He is believed in medical circles to have undergone a complicated procedure related to a thyroid condition, the outlet reported.
The Russian President’s face looked noticeably bloated in recent photos, sparking rumors that he is using steroids, which are often used to treat thyroid cancer.
The Kremlin has previously dismissed questions about Putin’s health, with a spokesman insisting in 2020 that his health was “excellent.”