Russian President Vladimir Putin is facing online mockery after struggling to pronounce the name of Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during a formal meeting between the two leaders. The incident took place during the 19th Russia-Kazakhstan Interregional Cooperation Forum held in Kostanay, Kazakhstan, on Thursday.

Videos of the meeting were widely shared on social media, highlighting Putin's momentary stutter while introducing Tokayev. This mispronunciation is not the first for Putin, drawing attention to the Russian president's recent health issues and alleged cosmetic enhancements to his appearance.

Anton Gerashchenko, advisor to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs, commented on the incident, writing, "Putin had a hard time pronouncing the name of the President of Kazakhstan. This is not the first time he misspoke the name of a country's leader. Lack of respect or his new cheeks influencing Putin's enunciation?"

Gerashchenko's reference to Putin's cheeks stems from a video posted online prior to the meeting, in which the Russian president appears to have puffed-up cheeks, possibly from fillers or other cosmetic procedures. The video, which contains a Kremlin watermark, has gained significant attention, generating speculations about Putin's physical appearance.

Online commenters and internet sleuths have questioned Putin's use of body doubles and speculated about his actual appearance without cosmetic enhancements. Despite these claims, the Kremlin, through spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, has dismissed them as "absurd information hoaxes."

During the meeting with Tokayev, Putin praised their bilateral relationship and announced over $100 million worth of commercial contracts with Kazakhstan. Reports suggest that Russia's trade with its ally has increased by more than 10% compared to 2022, reaching between $27 and $28 billion.

Newsweek reached out to the Kremlin for comment on the incident, but no response has been received yet.

The mispronunciation incident adds another layer of scrutiny to Putin's public image, which has been under increased scrutiny since Russia's intervention in Ukraine. It remains to be seen how this incident will impact perceptions of Putin's leadership and relationship with Kazakhstan.