Russian President Vladimir Putin “stammered” as he addressed the Russian people over the hostage crisis at a prison in Volgograd.
Armed with knives, prisoners identifying themselves as Islamic State militants took multiple hostages at the maximum security prison, killing at least one member of staff.
The Russian Prison Service said: “During a session of a disciplinary commission, convicts took the staff of the penal institution as hostages. Measures are currently being taken to free the hostages. There are casualties.”
President Putin gave a video address about the hostage crisis, and was seemingly still getting information from his aides as the cameras turned to him.
Once Putin realised he was on film, he quickly straightened himself, took off his watch, and began speaking.
Reacting to the footage on X, former journalist and Russia expert John Sweeney said on X: “Here Putin forgets to take off his billionaire’s watch until the video is rolling.
“The Islamist hostage-taking in a prison in Volgograd is trouble for him but the mistake about the watch and his stammering are striking and out of the ordinary for him. He’s rattled – and the greater cause of that, my working hypothesis, is Ukraine’s invasion of Kursk.
“The idea that Putin is a strong man, that’s for the birds.”
In the address, Putin said: “Dear colleagues….hello. The head of the Federal Penitentiary Service reported to me about the situation in one of the colonies in Volgograd oblast.
“I’d like to listen to evaluations of FSB Director, Internal Affairs Minister… Zolotov (Director of the National Guard of Russia) will be here…to report his estimations and then we will look at the planned issue raised by Kolokoltsev (Internal Affairs Minister).”
In the address, Putin took long pauses on multiple occasions.
Putin has faced multiple crises in relation to Russian security in recent months.
Earlier this month, Ukrainian troops launched a surprise incursion into the Kursk region of Russia, taking control of multiple settlements.
Moscow was also targeted by Ukrainian drones this week.
ISIS-K also launched an attack on Crocus City Hall in March, killing 145 people before setting the venue on fire.
