Putin's nervous display was masked by firm rhetoric at the Kursk meeting
- Two movements that appeared in the recording signalled nervousness and anger. This time, Putin did not try to hide signs of dissatisfaction, says Maurycy Seweryn, a public speaking trainer and body language expert. He analysed recordings from the meeting during which the Russian president reprimanded the governor of the Kursk region, who spoke about the successes of the Ukrainian military on Russian territory.
Vladimir Putin convened a special meeting regarding the situation in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian troops are occupying more towns. During the meeting, among others, Alexei Smirnov, the region's acting governor, spoke. A fragment of the recording from the meeting was shared online. In it, Smirnov says that Ukraine now controls 28 towns in the region, and its forces have advanced 11 kilometres into Russia.
Commentators of the recording on social media noted the Russian president's reaction to these words. Putin, nervously playing with a pen, interrupted Smirnov and demanded that he focus on the "socio-economic situation" in the region, wrote independent Belarusian journalist Hanna Liubakova on the platform "X."
Maurycy Seweryn, a public speaking trainer and body language expert who has seen dozens of Putin's appearances, analysed the material. He commented on the Russian president's behaviour in terms of nonverbal communication. Putin's movements were strong, and his dissatisfaction was very intense. This time, he did not try to hide signs of anger, he assessed.
- When he began to draw the governor's attention, he adopted a firm, determined expression, although he finds it increasingly difficult due to Botox. It was a demonstration. He wanted to show that he still controlled the situation and knew the scale of Ukrainian military actions deep in Russia, states Maurycy Seweryn.
Element of imitation of Putin
The body language specialist points out an element by which Putin "wanted to show his dominance" - moving his body away from the desk. As he says, this is usually read as withdrawal, dissatisfaction, and fear in the eyes of some. However, in the case of the Russian president, it has a different dimension.
- This is the standard position that Putin adopts when he wants to demonstrate his power. It involves placing one hand on the table's edge, leaning the body in the opposite direction, with a slight leg extension into the "starter" position. This last detail is not visible in the table, but this movement has been visible many times when I analysed earlier materials. This behaviour appeared as an imitation of Vladimir Putin when he was the deputy to Anatoly Sobchak, the first mayor of St. Petersburg. This stemmed from the fact that as a KGB agent and later FSB, Putin did not have habits associated with politics, so he modelled his behaviour on Sobchak, he points out.
- During times when full-scale war information appeared in Ukraine, many commentators treated this as a sign of illness, as a block intended to stop his hand from trembling. They were wrong because it is a learned, demonstrative behaviour. People who have seen Putin for three decades have become accustomed to him showing his power in this way, adds Seweryn.
Movements signalling nervousness and anger
The interlocutor also points to another element that indicates the Russian dictator's dissatisfaction during Monday's meeting. This is a one-second movement involving adjusting the pen and closing the cap—it means "closing the topic." Still, at the same time, it serves to feel something in the hand momentarily that provides a sense of security in a stressful situation. The body language expert believes this is an alternative to atavistic behaviour, such as touch, a helpful hand, or hugging.
According to Maurycy Seweryn, Putin doesn't often signal anger, rage, or fear. He believes that the Russian president has a very well-developed communication system, so sudden movements rarely occur with him. One such movement was manipulating the pen and setting it aside on the desk.
- The abrupt movement of placing the pen aside showed that Putin was nervous. On the one hand, it demonstrated to the viewers the ability to adopt stable, constant postures that Russians are accustomed to, a strong voice timbre, firm and determined, and well-controlled facial expressions. On the other hand, two movements appeared in the recording, signalling nervousness and anger, explained the specialist.
Seweryn concludes that the recording shows that mentally Putin was not prepared for the fact that, for the first time since 1941, someone has militarily entered Russian territory and occupied dozens of towns. He distracts attention from the military situation by playing the "good master and ruler" - publicly drawing the governor's attention to the fate of displaced people. In reality, he does not want Russians to see the true scale of Ukrainian actions in the Kursk region and on Russian territory.
