Overview

• Former Italian premier Massimo D’Alema reports he observed Vladimir Putin in Beijing looking very fatigued and being supported by two people during early September events.
• A leaked off‑mic exchange in Beijing captured Putin discussing biotechnologies that could greatly extend human lifespans, a remark that refocused attention on his condition.
• U.S. and British intelligence services say they have no proof of a serious illness, and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has rejected reports of a secret operation.
• Investigations by Proekt and Newsweek cited frequent travel by an oncologist and otolaryngologists with Putin and alleged a 2022 thyroid‑cancer surgery, claims that remain unverified.
• Reports of stringent security practices—including collection of the president’s biological waste during trips and a 2019 video showing tight bathroom escort—continue to fuel scrutiny.