Almost a year after Russia’s full-blown war against Ukraine began, the Kremlin has gotten into a bizarre argument with Ukraine’s leader over whether or not Vladimir Putin is still alive.
The row began when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told an audience in Davos that he was not entirely convinced that the Russian leader was still alive.
“I don’t quite understand who and what to talk to. I’m not sure if the Russian President who sometimes appears in front of a green screen is the right one. I don’t quite understand if he’s alive, if he makes the decisions or who makes the decisions there,” he said, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov quickly hit back — without actually addressing the Russian leader’s condition.
“Of course, Zelenskyy would prefer it if neither Russia nor Putin existed. The sooner he realizes that Russia exists and will exist, the better for a country like Ukraine,” Peskov said in comments released by Russian media.
As is well known, in December, for the first time in 10 years, Putin canceled his year-end press conference along with his traditional address to the Federal Assembly. The Russian president has also been widely ridiculed on social media for attending a number of meetings and important events via video link from his bunker, despite Zelensky’s trips to some of the most dangerous spots on the front lines.
While Putin made a trip to St. Petersburg this week and made public appearances for several events, the Kremlin fueled further suspicions about Putin’s health on Thursday by announcing that the Russian leader had been immersed in icy water to mark the Orthodox Christian Epiphany. in keeping with its annual tradition – but said no one would ever see proof he had done so.
“There are no photos or videos this time. We’re just informing you that he followed his tradition,” Peskov said.