Healthy Living, Science And An Army Of Doctors: Putin’s Pursuit Of Longevity

It was nan worldly of Bond villains. Two ageing autocrats, their younger state successful tow, ambled down a red-carpeted ramp earlier a subject parade successful Beijing erstwhile a basking mic picked up a mobility that seemed to beryllium connected their minds: really agelong could they support going – and, betwixt nan lines, mightiness subject let them to norm for ever?

With advances successful technology, Russia’s Vladimir Putin assured Xi Jinping via his translator that “human organs tin beryllium perpetually transplanted, to nan grade that group tin get younger, possibly moreover immortal”.

The Chinese leader replied: “By nan extremity of this century, group whitethorn unrecorded to 150 years old.”

Nearby, North Korea’s Kim Jong-un – 3 decades younger than nan 2 72-year-olds – appeared to return statement pinch a smile.

Beijing’s hot-mic infinitesimal has stirred rumors astir nan leaders’ support life, and inevitably, chatter astir conscionable really acold they’ll push to support nan timepiece from moving out.

For now, location is nary motion that immoderate of nan 3 leaders intends to loosen their grip connected power.

Each looks group to norm for arsenic agelong arsenic their bodies clasp out, and nary has offered a clear succession plan.

Under law changes he pushed done successful 2020, Putin could remain successful powerfulness until 2036, erstwhile he will beryllium 83 – surpassing moreover Joseph Stalin’s tenure.

Xi, done purges of friends and rivals alike, has torn up nan Communist party’s once-scripted contented of grooming successors. In totalitarian North Korea, succession has traditionally been wished only by death.

The leaders’ thrust for longevity is thing new. Rulers person agelong searched for ways to agelong their lives and their rule.

The first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang (259–210BC), sent expeditions to nan mythical Mount Penglai successful hunt of elixirs of eternal life – though nan mercury brews he swallowed whitethorn really person hastened his death.

Alexander nan Great, fable has it, roamed nan “Land of Darkness”, a mythical and perpetually acheronian forest, successful his quest for nan h2o of life.

Many hundreds of years later, Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi approached nan aforesaid problem pinch customary flamboyance – hairsbreadth transplants, cosmetic room and humor treatments – successful his effort to look invincible connected nan governmental stage.

Around nan aforesaid time, Nursultan Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan’s autocratic president, ordered an institute successful Astana to study “rejuvenation of nan organism”, nan quality genome and gene-based medicines.

“As for nan medicine of nan future, group of my property are really hoping each of this will hap arsenic soon arsenic possible,” Nazarbayev pleaded pinch section Kazakh scientists successful 2010.

Berlusconi yet died astatine 86, aft a conflict pinch a routine lung infection; Nazarbayev was pushed speech aft unrest successful Kazakhstan successful 2022, his family swept from power; he is now 85.

Putin, who knew some men well, appears to beryllium taking it further – pursuing nan astir eager and lavishly funded way toward longevity and nan subject of extending life.

The Russian leader has agelong been obsessed pinch health: he is said to trust connected his squad of doctors and move to replacement medicine successful his quest for vitality.

But those who study him opportunity this is not conscionable astir staying healthy, it is astir extending life itself.

“In his speech pinch Xi, Putin said astir a taxable that genuinely interests him,” said Mikhail Rubin, a Russian journalist who precocious co-authored a biography of nan president.

“It’s important to understand that moreover astatine nan clip of this exchange, location was almost surely a full squad of doctors location nearby,” he added.

According to Rubin, location is small to bespeak that Putin needs changeless aesculapian care; he appears patient for his age, but still routinely travels pinch a ample entourage of doctors from various specialisations.

“That suggests nan Russian president is preoccupied pinch his wellness and longevity,” Rubin said.

“I judge Putin dreams of ruling for galore much years, and places awesome hopes connected nan advancement of modern medicine,” he added.

Putin has made small concealed of his fascination pinch prolonging life, and connected Wednesday showed nary reluctance to repetition his backstage musings connected longevity astatine a property conference.

“Modern intends and methods of improving health, moreover various surgical [operations] involving organ replacement, let humanity to dream that … life expectancy will summation significantly,” Putin told reporters successful Beijing.

Mikhail Kovalchuk, a longtime family friend often described arsenic Putin’s favourite scientist, is said to beryllium spearheading Russia’s investigation into immortality.

According to nan independent outlet Meduza, Kovalchuk has established respective institutes pinch millions successful authorities backing to put successful caller technologies, including organ-printing pinch lab-grown cells to create replacement organs.

Putin’s eldest daughter, Maria Vorontsova, a trained endocrinologist, has besides received ample authorities grants to study extending quality wellness and longevity, and is progressive successful a familial investigation programme linked to Kovalchuk

Russia’s ageing elite’s quest for eternal life has already seeped into nan country’s popular culture.

It was nan premise of a 2024 satirical caller by nan Russian writer Ivan Filippov, Mouse, which tells nan communicative of an infected rodent that escapes from a technological institute wherever researchers are processing a supplier to prolong Putin’s life

“To beryllium honest, I wasn’t that amazed [about Putin’s basking mic comments],” Filipov told nan Guardian.

“Because my communicative was calved retired of reality. And pinch Putin, it’s obvious: he is practically obsessed pinch nan thought of surviving for ever, aliases astatine slightest longer than destiny allows,” he said.

“In my book, this obsession ends severely for everyone,” Fillipov added.