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I am a body language expert – here are the key clues from ‘squirming & spasming’ Putin that show what he really thinks
VLADIMIR Putin appeared "nervous and isolated" as he delivered a rambling speech illegally annexing four regions of Ukraine, according to a body language expert.
The tyrant "squirmed and spasmed" revealing his "uncharacteristic, underlying nervousness" as he vowed to use "any means" to defend the four stolen Ukrainian regions.
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Putin formally inked decrees declaring Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia to be Russian territory following a series of sham referendums.
In his speech, he said: "People have made their choice - and that choice is beyond any doubt... this is the will of millions of people."
The Russian leader pledged to "defend our land with all means" - and said the people living in the stolen Ukrainian regions are "our citizens forever".
But while Putin sounded defiant in his words, Judi James believes his body language painted a totally different picture as he displayed signs of "conflicting emotions".
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Judi told The Sun Online: "It is usually Putin’s stillness that makes his delivery so chilling, along with his cold, direct, challenging eye-stares, but neither were present for this speech, which could be the most important of his career and his life.
"Putin today was a man with what would commonly be called ‘ants in his pants’, a leader whose body squirmed as he rocked from one foot to another, and a man whose facial muscles squirmed too, to suggest conflicting emotions plus some almost uncontrollable-looking micro-spasms.
"He began in a more signature style, fixing his audience with his eyes and using a cocky-looking shoulder-roll to suggest an alpha presence.
"His legs appeared to be splayed behind the lectern in a power gesture, judging from his upper body movements."
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Judi believes Putin's mannerisms then started to change during the minute's silence he held.
She added: "As he led a minute’s silence there was a working of the lower jaw that looked like out-of-control emotions.
"He started from that point to read from his notes more and, strangely, to aim his emotions at the lectern too, looking down more and looking up to engage with his audience and his country less frequently.
"The effect was to make him look rather isolated, despite the bursts of applause."
Judi also pointed out Putin's feet twitching, something that appears to have become common when the tyrant speaks in public.
The body language expert said: "His movement from foot to foot became a constant shuffle.
"His lower jaw stretched sideways in a signal of anger and his nostrils wrinkled in a look of disgust.
"His signature, ‘not my fault’ shrugs were still there but his frowns also appeared more like uncontrolled muscle spasms, as did some grimaces of his mouth."
Judi believes Putin displayed signs of nervousness and ditched his usual dominant stare, despite trying to paint himself as a macho strongman.
'UNCHARACTERISTIC NERVOUSNESS'
She added: "His left arm was stretched out but the right remained hanging as usual.
"He fiddled with his jacket and he licked his lips to suggest uncharacteristic, underlying nervousness and he spoke a lot with his head and eyes lowered rather than pinning his audience in a confident challenge."
Putin was late showing up to the huge gathering of his cronies this afternoon and then issued a long, rambling, nonsensical diatribe.
The crowds looked glum and appeared to clap on cue as the tyrant droned on for nearly an hour before the separatist leaders signed the decrees, joined hands and chanted "Russia!"
In one bizarre remark during his speech, Putin claimed the "collective West is afraid of our philosophy and that's why they try to assassinate our philosophers".
He also held a minute silence for the "heroes of Russia" who have died in his disastrous invasion and stood up against what he called a "Neo-Nazi coup" in Ukraine in 2014.
In his delusional rant, Putin lashed out at the "satanic" and "racist" West and accused the US and its allies of waging a "hybrid war" against Russia.
He said the West had broken its promises to his country and had "no moral right" to talk about democracy.
At one point in the speech, he asked the assembled crowds if they wanted "children to be offered sex-change operations" - a practice he implied was widespread in the West.
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Putin urged Kyiv to sit down for talks - but he warned he would not give up the four annexed Ukraine regions.
At the end of his speech, Putin carried out the signing ceremony with the separatist leaders of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
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