Where Was Putin?

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on March 5, and then wasn’t seen or heard from again for eleven days. This is highly unusual because the Russian leader typically maintains an almost-daily presence in the lives of the Russian people. News of his visits, meetings, and general daily activities are regularly broadcasted on television. A string of meeting cancellations and postponements led many to publicly speculate a wide range of explanations for his absence and how it affects the political climate of the country.

Why the Concern?

Maintaining the image of a strong leader has been very important to Mr. Putin since taking office in 2000. (He served as president from 2000 to 2008, was prime minister from 2008 to 2012, but assumed the office of president again in 2012.) His sudden disappearance lit-up social media with the following theories:

Illness?

This theory suggested that Putin had come down with a severe strain of the flu which has been spreading across Russia in recent weeks. Worse yet, some believed he had suffered a stroke or been diagnosed with a terminal condition. Regardless of the nature of the medical condition, President Putin did not want to be seen as weak to his opponents.

Birth of a Child?

Retired gymnast Alina Kabaeva, with whom Putin has been linked romantically since 2008, reportedly gave birth to a son in Paris. Rumors swelled that Putin was the father and that perhaps he had snuck away to be with mother and child.

Political Turmoil?

On February 27, Russian government opposition leader, Boris Nemtstov was assassinated. Some people speculated that there had been an attempt on President Putin’s life and that he was being kept in a secret location until it was deemed safe by his security detail.

Death?!

The most extreme speculation was that Putin had died and that the Russian government was covering up that fact as a security measure. This is not as far-fetched as you might think, considering that in the early 1980s, three Soviet leaders–Konstantin Chernenko, Yuri Andropov, and Lenoid Brezhnev–all died and the news was not made public right away.

Official spokesman, Dimitry Peskov, continually dismissed the growing concern regarding Putin’s whereabouts during his absence and unexplained location.

Reappearance

Well, put the rumor mills to bed, because there is good news for Putin fans. After his ten-day absence, President Putin did reappear at a meeting with the President of Kyrgzstan in St. Petersburg on March 16. The president laughed off the rumors that had surrounded his disappearance. On the same day, Putin ordered the Russian navy’s Northern Fleet to conduct a large-scale combat readiness exercise. Unfortunately, this action caused a new set of concerns among world leaders.

Anniversary of Crimea Annexation

President Putin’s public reappearance coincides with the fist anniversary of the annexation of Crimea. The European Union (EU) foreign policy chief issued a statement on the day Putin resurfaced condemning Russia’s human rights violations in the Crimean peninsula.

What Do You Think? Given the possible explanations for Putin’s temporary absence listed above, which do you think is the most likely? Support your answer with at least two sources.