Did Putin Chair a Cabinet Meeting in a Hazmat Suit?

Images showing Russian President Vladimir Putin as he chaired a cabinet meeting decked out in a hazmat suit have been making the rounds lately.

I have serious trust issues but the Russian President Valdmir Putin is on another level! This is him chairing a cabinet meeting. 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/jDIhSZKJPy

— Embakasi Finest 🇰🇪🐐 (@ThisIsMboya) March 27, 2020

Russian President Putin at a cabinet meeting. pic.twitter.com/EKsAyskfB2

— RIO🍍 (@AdamMaina_) March 26, 2020

Background

As of the time of writing this (noon, March 30^th 2020), there are 1,836 cases of the Coronavirus infection in Russia and 9 deaths (see our live tracker for up to date numbers).

The city of Moscow has initiated an indefinite citywide quarantine since it holds the highest number of cases. Moreover, Russia will close its borders in order to stop the spread of incoming cases to the country.

While, at least in the context within which they are being shared virally in Kenya, the photos are meant as tongue-in-cheek, some of the jokes around their usage have centred around placing them in contexts and with captions meant to lead viewers of such content to believe that, indeed, President Putin ditched his usual suits for a hazmat suit in these times when the world is battling the Coronavirus pandemic.

Verification

The alleged photo of Putin wearing a hazmat suit during a cabinet meeting is an altered version of a photo taken during his visit to a hospital on March 24th 2020.

A reverse image search also shows that the alleged cabinet meeting in the circulating photo actually took place on January 20, 2020. Russian media, Pravda-News reported that it was a meeting with Putin’s Security Council.

Verdict

The claim that President Vladimir Putin wore a hazmat suit during a cabinet meeting is false.