The Kremlin has sought to play down an embarrassing clip of Russian President Vladimir Putin suffering a coughing fit amid claims the footage may have been deliberately leaked to undermine his power.
The clip of the 73-year-old Russian leader—who likes to portray himself as a macho strongman—struggling to speak and coughing repeatedly while trying to record an address marking International Women’s Day was shared Sunday on the Kremlin’s official Telegram channel.
“You know, let me say that again, because… my throat’s a bit scratchy. Yes, a bit scratchy. I almost started coughing. I’ve been talking a lot today,” Putin said in the video, according to The Moscow Times.
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