Vladimir Putin's 'swollen face' under increasing scrutiny as health concerns escalate

Vladimir Putin was ruthlessly ridiculed over his unusually bloated appearance after the Russian president made a rare public outing in Moscow over the weekend.

Putin, 73, appeared noticeably swollen while attending a Victory Day parade commemorating the 81st anniversary of the Soviet Union's triumph over Nazi Germany in World War II. His fleeting presence at the event triggered widespread online conjecture about Putin's appearance, with one observer quipping that Western sanctions on Russia were impacting the president's Botox supply.

"Putin, what's with the face?" a pro-Ukraine account wrote on X. "The parade ended at lightning speed - just 45 minutes The Kremlin boss [was] immediately rushed off Red Square surrounded by heavy security."

Another user shared a photo of Putin with a pained expression during the rally on Saturday. "Putin's last parade," they wrote.

A third person wrote: "Putin genuinely looks sick, this isn't the face of a well man even for his age."

Someone else wrote, "Putin must be residing in the bunker for an extended period, possibly even longer than this year. He seems to be in dire need of some Botox touch-ups."

Other users remarked upon the parade's muted character, notably lacking armoured vehicles or ballistic missiles. Putin's typically stringent security measures were also conspicuously absent.

The Russian capital remained under intense surveillance on Saturday following the shutdown of internet services nationwide as Ukraine persisted with its campaign of long-range drone and missile strikes. "Putin used to always walk to lay flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Today, for the first time in history, he rode an armored bus," the Ukrainian X user wrote.

Even those sympathetic to Putin conceded that the occasion fell short of previous years' spectacle. "It was a modest parade," wrote pro-Kremlin commentator Sergei Markov on Telegram. "There are still enormous challenges."

Putin used his brief appearance at the parade to invoke the nation's sacrifices during the Second World War in a bid to drum up backing for the conflict in Ukraine, yet stopped short of directly referencing the ongoing war. "The great feat of the generation of victors inspires the warriors carrying out the tasks of the special military operation," he said.

"They stand against an aggressive force armed and supported by the entire NATO block. And despite this, our heroes move forward. Victory has always been and will always be ours," he said.

The day prior to the parade, President Donald Trump announced that Russia and Ukraine had reached an agreement on a three-day ceasefire and the exchange of around 1,000 prisoners.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky quipped on Friday that he would "permit" Russia to go ahead with the parade the following day by holding back from launching any attacks. The ceasefire is due to expire on Monday.