The Kremlin confirmed that it made a mistake when it quickly deleted a raw video address by President Vladimir Putin that was released in honor of Russian women ahead of International Women’s Day. Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin's press secretary, stated that measures would be taken to avoid such occurrences in the future. The address, which featured Putin struggling with a sore throat and repeating his greetings, was available on the Kremlin’s Telegram channel for only four minutes before being removed. Subsequently, a revised version of the message was published twenty minutes later.

Journalist Aleksandr Junashov from the Life portal noted that there is no ongoing investigation within the presidential administration regarding the incident, leading to speculation about the reason for the hasty deletion. The initial version of the video featured Putin stumbling over his words and showing visible discomfort, which may have contributed to the decision to swiftly remove it from public view. However, it later resurfaced on the defense ministry's Telegram channel before being deleted again, indicating a possible internal miscommunication or operational error.

This incident highlights potential challenges in the Kremlin's communication strategies and the control of media narratives related to President Putin. With the approaching International Women’s Day, the Kremlin may have aimed for a polished public image. The oversight in handling this broadcast could impact public perception and create discussions about the nature of state-sponsored messaging, especially at sensitive moments where Putin's public speaking is under scrutiny.