Vladimir Putin hasn’t been seen in public since April 1 but could make an appearance today to meet Donald Trump envoy Steve Witkoff.
Witcoff has reportedly already landed in Russia and is due to meet the Russian president in St Petersburg.
It’s thought Putin, meanwhile, flew to the city during the night.
His absence coincides with Trump’s strong criticism of the Kremlin leader for the ongoing bombing of Ukraine despite calls from the US for a ceasefire.
Witkoff’s apparent arrival comes hours after major Russian ballistic missile hit Dnipro in eastern Ukraine yesterday, with at least person killed – a 42-year-old man – and five people injured.
The strike hit a warehouse and caused a massive fire, regional governor Serhiy Lysak said on the Telegram messenger app.
It’s not clear why Putin hasn’t been seen publicly for 10 days.
Although the 72-year-old has been shown shown daily on TV meeting regional governors and other Russian functionaries, these videos are seen by analysts as most likely pre-recorded.
It’s believed to the second time he has vanished for more than a week this year, sparking rumours over his health.
There has been speculation in the past that he’s undergoing surgery for serious medical conditions such as cancer and Parkinson’s and some have even suggested he’s topping up his plastic surgery.
His lover Alina Kabaeva, 41, has also not been seen during the same period.
Putin’s last live public appearance was to meet the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik.
Since then Russian forces have launched a number of strikes on Ukraine that have killed civilians, including nine children and 11 adults in Kryvyi Rih, home city of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.
It’s previously been reported that Trump is ‘pissed off’ at Putin’s ‘crazy’ bombing.
The US president said: ‘I’m not happy with what’s going on with the bombing.
‘They’re bombing like crazy right now.
‘They’re bombing, I don’t know what’s going on. It’s not a good situation…..It’s terrible.’
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If a meeting with Witkoff goes ahead today, it is likely to focus on whether Russia will halt its onslaught on civilians – and agree a full ceasefire.
Writing about Putin’s absence, independent news outlet Agentsvo said: ‘In the previous three years, Putin did not have such frequent and long gaps in his work schedule in the first three months,”
‘The last time the president was absent for such a long time was during the New Year holidays – he did not appear from December 29 to January 8 inclusive.’
The Kremlin on Thursday said Putin was today (Friday) expected to make a regional visit, without saying where.
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Some have suggested that these regional tours often featured Putin doppelgängers.
Meanwhile, Zelensky has asserted in a TV interview that both Putin’s life and the war are coming to the end soon.
He did not explain why he believed the Russian leader’s death was imminent, but he may have been referring to rumours over Putin’s poor health.
He told Eurovision News: ‘He will die soon – that’s a fact – and it will all be over. I’m younger than Putin, so put your bets on me. My prospects are better.’
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