Photo: Gennady Cherkasov
An audio recording that appeared online with the voice of the late LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, discussing the situation in Ukraine with a fellow party member, again attracted public attention to the topic of his health in early 2022. All about two and a half months that the politician spent in the hospital against the background of coronavirus infection, contradictory data about his illness were received.
The recording was published by the LDPR channel with reference to deputy Vasily Vlasov, who apologized for the poor sound quality – they say, he recorded on the road. He also noted that Zhirinovsky knew about the beginning of the special operation and was glad that his “predictions” on this score were correct. In particular, Vlasov recalls on the record that for many months the party leader announced such a scenario – about “at 4 o’clock in the morning on February 22.” He is surprised that Zhirinovsky gave a forecast with an error of only two days.
“Look who’s making predictions!.. Here, here, please!.. And now it will be even more accurate …” – says Zhirinovsky and seems to want to continue talking, but the recording stops there.
The hospitalization of the politician became known on February 9. The media wrote that Zhirinovsky, who had previously repeatedly stated that he had been vaccinated, had been in the hospital two weeks before and that by the first of the month his condition had deteriorated sharply. At various times, there were reports with links to sources that the patient was connected to a ventilator and was unconscious, that he had regained consciousness and was on the mend. When the recording was made with Vlasov, the LDPR did not specify. But it follows from the context that the conversation was conducted on February 24 or immediately in the coming days. Zhirinovsky speaks in a cheerful voice, interrupts the interlocutor and demonstrates a lot of emotions.
At the same time, on February 26, telegram channels reported that the politician was in a coma and connected to the devices. The LDPR denied these reports, but did not provide details and facts that could confirm the opposite. At the same time, it is known that many patients with severe coronavirus have experienced dramatic changes in their condition – up to a visible cure, followed by a sudden onset of death.
On March 25, the media spread a message from the telegram channel of Senator Alexander Pronyushkin, who announced the death of Zhirinovsky. The information was quickly refuted in the State Duma, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Ministry of Health. The official announcement was received on April 6 – Zhirinovsky died in hospital after a long illness.