'Paranoid' Vladimir Putin Gives Speech 60 Feet Away From Ambassadors As He Fears Catching COVID

Vladimir Putin addressed a crowd of ambassadors at his Moscow palace from 60 feet away over fears of catching COVID, RadarOnline.com has learned.

The bizarre speech came after a former Russian secret service captain claimed that Putin, 70, was "mortally afraid" of catching the virus, the latest allegation in a string of claims centered around the 70-year-old's failing health and alleged paranoia of being assassinated.

Putin kept a safe distance from the crowd, as he stood at a podium 60 feet away on the opposite side of the grand hall.

The crowd consisted of new Moscow ambassadors for the US and members of the European Union.

In addition to positioning himself far from the audience, Putin also refused meetings with attendees.

"We won’t be able to talk in person, but in the course of your work, I’m sure this opportunity will come up again and again," Putin told the crowd.

The opportunity to work with Putin, however, appeared to be off the table for newly appointed ambassador Lynne Tracy from the US.

Putin scolded the United States' foreign relations and appeared to blame the West for his unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

"Relations between Russia and the United States are in deep crisis," Putin said. "The use by the United States in its foreign policy of such tools as a support for the so-called ‘color revolutions,' support in this regard for the coup d'état in Kyiv in 2014, ultimately led to today's Ukrainian crisis."

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While Putin gave a scathing review of the US, he claimed Russia was open to "constructive partnerships" with foreign nations.

"Russia is open to constructive partnership with all countries, without exception, and is not going to isolate itself," The Kremlin leader continued. "Our country will continue to act as one of the sovereign centers of world politics and carry out a historic mission to maintain global balance."

Putin has been heavily criticized for the ongoing war in Ukraine, which has decimated his own troops and forced Russians to consider unthinkable options to escape the war-torn region.