Russian propaganda has presented, this week, an eight-year-old photograph as proof that President Vladimir Putin participated in the traditional bathing in frozen water, on Epiphany.
In reality, the images come from 2018, during the Russian leader’s election campaign, which has generated suspicions among social network users about the authenticity of the event.
The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Putin “traditionally plunged into an ice hole” on the night of Epiphany, but the authorities did not publish recent photos or videos to confirm this information.
In the absence of visual evidence, many internet users believe that, at the age of 73, Putin might not be physically capable of such an action, writes dialog.
The phenomenon is not new: in recent years, the Kremlin has alternated between the lack of evidence and the presentation of selective visual materials.
In 2019, the announcement was made only through statements; in 2020, Putin did not participate due to weather conditions; in 2021, a video was broadcast; in 2022, the refusal was motivated by “the recommendation of the church”; in 2023 and 2024, only requests were transmitted, without evidence; and in 2025, there was no official mention.
Thus, experts and Russian social network users argue that the image of the Russian leader, presented as “strong and energetic”, is artificially maintained through propaganda.