Russian President Vladimir Putin has long been under the global spotlight. While his left arm swings loosely, his right arm remains noticeably stiff by his side. This peculiarity has fueled widespread speculation, from concerns about his health to theories rooted in his past as a KGB officer.

The most popular explanation put forward by experts is that Putin's firm right arm might be a sign of Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease, which is a neurodegenerative disorder, tends to cause tremors, stiffness, and a decrease in arm movement during walking. Since there is so much secrecy about Putin's private health, the theory has become popular over time, particularly as speculation about his worsening condition continues.

 KGB Training

But the Parkinson's hypothesis is less compelling, say most specialists. A more believable explanation goes back to Putin's KGB days, the Soviet Union's infamous spy agency. Radboud University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, neurology professor Bastiaan Bloem and his colleagues watched several video segments of Putin walking with what they called the "gunslinger's gait."

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Operatives were instructed, according to a KGB training manual, to hold their weapon in their right hand, against their chest, and advance using the left side. The posture facilitated a rapid draw of a firearm in the event of unexpected combat. This would make the right arm firm and less free, with the left arm swinging naturally.

Putin is not singular in exhibiting this walk. Researchers observed the same gait in quite a number of other top-level Russian officials, such as former Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, former Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, senior official Sergei Ivanov, and General Anatoly Sidorov. The uniformity indicates a common background of security or defence schooling instead of a medical issue.

The "Gunslinger's Gait"

The name coined by the researchers emphasises the practicability of this gait. By maintaining the dominant hand close to the body, ideally around a pocket or belt, operatives would be ready to fight at a moment's notice. It wasn't just about discipline but about survival, particularly in dangerous situations encountered by KGB agents.

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As theories surrounding Putin's health keep making headlines, the facts point decidedly towards the fact that his characteristic gait has little to do with Parkinson's and everything to do with decades of deeply ingrained KGB training.