The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Putin’s mental state is “normal,” despite speculation that the Russian President is ill or addicted to steroids. Critics have claimed that Putin appears bloated, irrational, and out of control, citing as evidence the President’s absurd outburst that Ukraine’s leadership are “nazis” and “drug takers.” Former US Director of National Intelligence Jim Clapper described Putin as “unhinged” after being isolated in Moscow for months due to coronavirus paranoia.

Meanwhile, former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the Russian leader appeared “different,” adding, “He was always calculating and cold, but this is different.”

“He appears to be erratic.”

Republican Senator Marco Rubio has also stated that Putin appears to have “neuro-psychological” issues.

The President’s increasingly erratic behaviour and bloated appearance have fueled speculation that he is afflicted with cancer, a brain tumour, or steroid addiction.

Nonetheless, Putin’s health has been a source of concern for the past decade.

Experts noted in 2015 that Putin had “gunslinger’s gait,” which is characterised by a consistently reduced right sided arm swing.

Prof Bloem was taken aback when he discovered several clips of Putin with clearly reduced right-sided arm swing.

The gait is typically thought to be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease, but movement disorder experts believe it could also be related to the Russian President’s KGB background.

Prof Bloem wrote in the BMJ, “Putin’s distinctive walk has previously been debated, and various theories have emerged ranging from Erb’s palsy to intrauterine stroke.”

“The first, and admittedly biassed, diagnosis that comes to mind for movement disorders experts like ourselves is Parkinson’s disease, which has an asymmetrically reduced arm swing as a distinguishing feature.”

“In fact, video reviews of football games played by the legendary English midfielder Ray Kennedy show that it can be the earliest presenting sign of Parkinson’s disease.”

“Original footage showed Kennedy having an asymmetrically reduced arm swing even when he was playing elite football.”