Vladimir Putin addressed the BRICS summit on Tuesday — though not in his natural voice.
The Kremlin leader did not attend a meeting of the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in Johannesburg, where he was at risk of arrest under a war crimes indictment issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Instead, he sent a video message, telling the BRICS leaders that Russia would not return to the Black Sea grain deal until its terms were met.
Oddly enough, the version of the video shown at the summit in Johannesburg was dubbed by a voice actor who made the Kremlin boss sound like either a Hollywood villain, 1970s soul star Barry White, or a voice-altered gangster being interviewed on a TV show. Wanted to protect his identity.
In the An original copy In the video message posted on the Kremlin’s website, Putin coughed several times as he began to read a prepared text. He said that Russia would be ready to return to the so-called [grain] A “deal” if its conditions — previously mentioned as hidden penalties that make it difficult for banks and companies to conduct deals for food and fertilizer — are met.
No reason was given for not hearing Putin’s actual voice, but the official news agency, RIA, He said: “Putin addressed the BRICS Business Council via video link. Not his voice.”
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