Vladimir Putin Surfaces After Being MIA for Ten Days

Just when people were really starting to speculate on the health and well-being of Russia's President Vladimir Putin, he made an appearance Monday, March 16, proving that he is still alive and well and not MIA. It had been 10 days since his last public appearance, and for a man who absolutely loves attention, that was a record. Rumors were swirling that he was battling illness, had been swiftly removed from power or was even distracted by his love life.

According to a report by the New York Post, "The 62-year-old Russian leader was last seen in public on March 5, when he hosted Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. The Kremlin insisted that he continued holding official meetings after that, and released photos and video of Putin at meetings on national television, but Russian media suggested the images had actually been shot much earlier.

"Putin's decision to abruptly postpone a trip to Kazakhstan planned for last week fueled speculation that he was unwell or isolated by a palace coup. A Swiss newspaper claimed that Putin had traveled to Switzerland, where it said his reported girlfriend -- former Olympic gold-winning gymnast Alina Kabayeva -- had given birth to their baby. The Kremlin has denied all those allegations."

So why was Putin out of sight? There are two fairly logical possibilities.

Either Kabayeva, whom he reportedly married in 2013, did give birth to their first child and he took a few days to focus on family, or Putin was sick. The Russian president is wrapped up in his image and there is no way he is going to step out the door and into the public eye if he is anything less than 100 percent. Putin relishes his powerful image and even a bout with the flu is not going to tarnish it.

Why do you think Putin was MIA for 10 days? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.