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5 Most Ridiculous Theories About the Whereabouts of Vladimir Putin
(c) Sputnik/ Alexei Druzhinin
POLITICS
21:25 14.03.2015(updated 21:36 14.03.2015)
It's been nine days since Putin made a public appearance, and media
speculation about his location and state has (possibly) reached its
peak. We look at the five most ridiculous media theories.
In the past week, Russian President Vladimir Putin's lack of public
appearances in the past week has led to a flurry of theories in the
media about his whereabouts. While the President's press secretary
Dmitry Peskov has had a tough week of battling bizarre questions about
his whereabouts. We decided to rank the top five.
5. He's Dead
Somehow, such an audacious idea is not even at the top of the list of
most ridiculous theories. Simply reading the news about President
Putin's acts and statements can show that he is indeed working, having
proposed the creation of a new federal agency on nationalities,
planned a meeting with the President of Kyrgyzstan, signed two laws,
four executive orders and had a phone conversation with Armenia's
President. Prime Minister Medvedev doing his best Putin impression
notwithstanding, an international conspiracy to conceal Putin's death
would be a little over-the-top.
4. He Has Cancer, No, He Hurt His Back, No, No, I Know, He Had a
Stroke (The Flu Maybe?)
(c) SPUTNIK/ ALEXEI DRUZHININ
Could Putin have gotten hurt doing judo?
Rumors about President Putin's health seem to be reaching the level of
those once "enjoyed" by Fidel Castro. After the 638 or so CIA plots to
physically eliminate the Cuban leader failed, the only way left was to
speculate on the rumors of his health in the media.
A Washington Post article on Saturday announced that Putin's illness
would no doubt be hidden because "manly men don't get sick." Of
course, Putin's image as a "manly man," as the Post has it, is one
that only appears in the Western media. In Russia, Putin has used his
image as a policy tool, but it has been to promote slightly different
values, such as exercise and abstaining from smoking and drinking for
Russia's men.
3. He is Witnessing the Birth of His Love Child
(c) SPUTNIK/ ALEKSEY NIKOLSKYI
Has Putin fathered a child?
Apparently, Putin is in Switzerland, witnessing the birth of his
child. It's not clear why Putin would need to travel to Switzerland to
witness the birth of his child. Considering the security precautions
that his office would need to take to ensure Putin's secret journey to
Switzerland stays unknown, it would probably be cheaper to simply buy
a Swiss clinic and transport all of its workers and equipment to
Russia.
It's also not clear why, if Putin allegedly disappeared on March 5, he
would take such a long time to be gone to simply witness the birth of
his alleged child.
Of course, the fact that no Russian Presidency planes have gone to
Switzerland in the past week, and that the woman who media outlets
allege to be Putin's girlfriend, gymnast and Russian State Duma Deputy
Alina Kabaeva, has not given birth seem to be of no concern to the
many people circulating yet another unfounded rumour.
2. He Was Overthrown in a Coup
(c) SPUTNIK/ EKATERINA SHTUKINA
Is Medvedev aiming for the top seat?
This is one of the less popular theories, although it does show that
theories of Putin's "absence" do say more about the people who are
spouting the theories than what Putin is really doing. According to
Forbes, either Chief of Staff Sergei Ivanov or President of Chechnya,
Ramzan Kadyrov could actually be in power right now.
How exactly this would happen is unclear, as he has made television
appearances on March 5th, 8th, 11th, 12th and 13th. However, this is
still not enough for some media outlets.
1. He's Binge Watching House of Cards
(c) SPUTNIK/ ALEXEI DRUZHININ
Petrov's got it. Yeah, that's right.
A Washington Post cartoonist suggested this one, and, well, there
isn't much to really contradict it. Although press secretary Peskov
has not commented if Putin roots for Kevin Spacey's character or
Viktor Petrov, the fictionalized Russian President in the series, one
thing is clear, Netflix' policy of release of all 13 episodes in one
day is not good for anyone's productivity.
This may also be one of those times when the most ridiculous solution
is probably the least impossible. The other option would be that he
pre-recorded a bunch of meetings for TV, turned off his answering
machine and went fishing, but that would mean being out of the office
for things like talking to the Armenian President or signing several
laws.
Overall, if there is one thing this media furor over Putin's absence
from the public has shown, it's that Putin has achieved a celebrity
status surpassing that of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian put together.
It's up for debate if US President Barack Obama would receive the same
amount of media coverage if he decided to stay at Camp David for a
week and not make any public appearances, but #PutinChallenge, anyone?
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20150314/1019501171.html#ixzz3UOn3JPTJ
From: Baghdasarian
(c) Sputnik/ Alexei Druzhinin
POLITICS
21:25 14.03.2015(updated 21:36 14.03.2015)
It's been nine days since Putin made a public appearance, and media
speculation about his location and state has (possibly) reached its
peak. We look at the five most ridiculous media theories.
In the past week, Russian President Vladimir Putin's lack of public
appearances in the past week has led to a flurry of theories in the
media about his whereabouts. While the President's press secretary
Dmitry Peskov has had a tough week of battling bizarre questions about
his whereabouts. We decided to rank the top five.
5. He's Dead
Somehow, such an audacious idea is not even at the top of the list of
most ridiculous theories. Simply reading the news about President
Putin's acts and statements can show that he is indeed working, having
proposed the creation of a new federal agency on nationalities,
planned a meeting with the President of Kyrgyzstan, signed two laws,
four executive orders and had a phone conversation with Armenia's
President. Prime Minister Medvedev doing his best Putin impression
notwithstanding, an international conspiracy to conceal Putin's death
would be a little over-the-top.
4. He Has Cancer, No, He Hurt His Back, No, No, I Know, He Had a
Stroke (The Flu Maybe?)
(c) SPUTNIK/ ALEXEI DRUZHININ
Could Putin have gotten hurt doing judo?
Rumors about President Putin's health seem to be reaching the level of
those once "enjoyed" by Fidel Castro. After the 638 or so CIA plots to
physically eliminate the Cuban leader failed, the only way left was to
speculate on the rumors of his health in the media.
A Washington Post article on Saturday announced that Putin's illness
would no doubt be hidden because "manly men don't get sick." Of
course, Putin's image as a "manly man," as the Post has it, is one
that only appears in the Western media. In Russia, Putin has used his
image as a policy tool, but it has been to promote slightly different
values, such as exercise and abstaining from smoking and drinking for
Russia's men.
3. He is Witnessing the Birth of His Love Child
(c) SPUTNIK/ ALEKSEY NIKOLSKYI
Has Putin fathered a child?
Apparently, Putin is in Switzerland, witnessing the birth of his
child. It's not clear why Putin would need to travel to Switzerland to
witness the birth of his child. Considering the security precautions
that his office would need to take to ensure Putin's secret journey to
Switzerland stays unknown, it would probably be cheaper to simply buy
a Swiss clinic and transport all of its workers and equipment to
Russia.
It's also not clear why, if Putin allegedly disappeared on March 5, he
would take such a long time to be gone to simply witness the birth of
his alleged child.
Of course, the fact that no Russian Presidency planes have gone to
Switzerland in the past week, and that the woman who media outlets
allege to be Putin's girlfriend, gymnast and Russian State Duma Deputy
Alina Kabaeva, has not given birth seem to be of no concern to the
many people circulating yet another unfounded rumour.
2. He Was Overthrown in a Coup
(c) SPUTNIK/ EKATERINA SHTUKINA
Is Medvedev aiming for the top seat?
This is one of the less popular theories, although it does show that
theories of Putin's "absence" do say more about the people who are
spouting the theories than what Putin is really doing. According to
Forbes, either Chief of Staff Sergei Ivanov or President of Chechnya,
Ramzan Kadyrov could actually be in power right now.
How exactly this would happen is unclear, as he has made television
appearances on March 5th, 8th, 11th, 12th and 13th. However, this is
still not enough for some media outlets.
1. He's Binge Watching House of Cards
(c) SPUTNIK/ ALEXEI DRUZHININ
Petrov's got it. Yeah, that's right.
A Washington Post cartoonist suggested this one, and, well, there
isn't much to really contradict it. Although press secretary Peskov
has not commented if Putin roots for Kevin Spacey's character or
Viktor Petrov, the fictionalized Russian President in the series, one
thing is clear, Netflix' policy of release of all 13 episodes in one
day is not good for anyone's productivity.
This may also be one of those times when the most ridiculous solution
is probably the least impossible. The other option would be that he
pre-recorded a bunch of meetings for TV, turned off his answering
machine and went fishing, but that would mean being out of the office
for things like talking to the Armenian President or signing several
laws.
Overall, if there is one thing this media furor over Putin's absence
from the public has shown, it's that Putin has achieved a celebrity
status surpassing that of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian put together.
It's up for debate if US President Barack Obama would receive the same
amount of media coverage if he decided to stay at Camp David for a
week and not make any public appearances, but #PutinChallenge, anyone?
http://sputniknews.com/politics/20150314/1019501171.html#ixzz3UOn3JPTJ
From: Baghdasarian