Vladimir Putin's inner circle is reportedly on a mission to extend the life of the Russian president, who turns 72 in October.
According to The Times, top officials have instructed Russian scientists to accelerate research into anti-aging treatments to ensure the longevity of Putin and other aging Kremlin elites.
The average life expectancy for men in Russia is 67.
The Moscow Times reports that Russia’s Ministry of Health has pressed research institutes to provide immediate updates on their efforts to combat aging, cognitive decline, and osteoporosis, as well as to strengthen the immune system.
"We were asked to urgently send all of our developments, and the letter arrived, let’s say, today, but everything had to be sent yesterday," one researcher told Meduza.
The urgency is reportedly driven by Mikhail Kovalchuk, a 77-year-old scientist and close friend of Putin. Kovalchuk, who heads the Kurchatov Nuclear Research Institute and has ties to a state-funded genetics program that includes Putin’s eldest daughter, endocrinologist Maria Vorontsova, is said to be leading the push for life-extension research.
"The big boss set the task, and officials rushed to implement it in every possible way," according to a Kremlin insider.
Kovalchuk is described as being "obsessed with eternal life."
He reportedly pitched the idea to Putin.
While Putin has access to top-notch medical care, he is also said to indulge in more traditional methods, such as bathing in an extract made from Siberian deer antlers, which is believed to have rejuvenating properties. These antlers are harvested from live deer annually, and the extract is thought to enhance vitality and potency.
Beyond folk remedies, Russia has seen the influence of scientists like Professor Vladimir Khavinson, a pioneer in longevity research who passed away in January at the age of 77.
Khavinson, head of Russia’s Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, developed anti-aging drugs allegedly used by Soviet leaders and prominent figures like Valentina Matviyenko and Alina Kabaeva.
However, there is no concrete evidence that these drugs are effective, and it is unclear if Putin himself has used them.
