He moved it around a few times, but only used it once when he opened one of the publications himself. He does everything with his left hand, although he is right-handed. There has long been speculation that Putin suffers from neuropathic disease or Parkinson’s disease.

During the eleven-minute recording, Sečin speaks almost exclusively about the development of oil transportation from Arctic deposits. Putin just nodded, his eyes sometimes closed. After a while, he asked about the cars used in construction: “Kamazes?” Meanwhile, Sečin repeatedly talked about kamazes and answered: “Yes, kamazes.”

Six minutes later, Putin asked for details and Sechin gave him some documents. Putin took it with his left hand and helped himself with his right only when he opened it for the first time, but then again he only left it with his left.

There is new speculation that Putin may have Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disease associated with the loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells. This is manifested by tremors and impaired motor skills. Already in 2015, a team of scientists from the department of neurology at the University Hospital in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, suspected Parkinson’s disease. Professor Van Bloem said that some signs indicated “Parkinson’s disease” – especially when Putin walked without moving his left hand and often put his right hand behind his head. A rough face can also be a symptom of this disease.

Poor right hand mobility and a less mobile face could also indicate a possible stroke, but the fact that his right hand appears to be moving, he just isn’t using it, doesn’t indicate this.

The independent Russian TV station Dožď again published footage of Putin coughing. The TASS agency then asked about his health, and the Kremlin answered that he was fine. Speculation was also fueled by Putin not attending the Evening Hockey League party at the weekend, which he has not attended since 2011, the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper reported.

Last weekend, British tabloid The Sun quoted political scientist Valery Solovei as saying that Putin may have cancer and that he underwent emergency stomach surgery in February. Solovay already claimed at the beginning of November that he knew that Putin had two diseases: “One is of psychoneurological origin, the other is cancer. The second diagnosis is much more dangerous than the first, described as Parkinson’s disease, which does not threaten his physical health, but only limits his public appearance. This is a fatal diagnosis.”

Solovej is a political scientist and historian and former director of the Department of Public Communications at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. He left office last year for “political reasons” and is now one of Putin’s main critics. When Solovyov first speculated about Putin’s health in early November, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “He is in very good health.”

However, since then, there have been more indications that this may not be true. There were reports that he drank dissolved medication from a cup during a TV appearance and suffered from restless legs syndrome.

However, in fact, many of the symptoms appeared early and it is not proven that Putin has serious health problems. In a photo taken in 2014, which appeared in William Pomerantz’s commentary on the annexation of Crimea, the Russian president looks similar to the current meeting with Sechin.

Solovej also spoke about his possible successors. According to some sources, it could be Putin’s 34-year-old daughter, Katerina Tikhonova. He also speculated that it could be Dmitri Medvedev, who was Russia’s previous president, as Putin could not be elected three times in a row, but he was removed as prime minister in January. They also discussed 43-year-old Agriculture Minister Dmitriy Patrushev.

Solovyov said Putin could announce his resignation early next year, but the Kremlin also denied this. “It’s complete nonsense,” Peskov said.

The fact is that the Russian constitution was changed this year. This allows Putin to remain in office if he is re-elected, but at the same time strengthens the power of parliament, which must again approve ministers in key power departments. This is important to maintain stability during the transition period.