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No, Video does not show Putin paying respect to Khamenei

Nurudeen Akewushola
Nurudeen Akewushola
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Vlaadmir Putin/ Source : Wikimedia

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A video showing Russian President Vladimir Putin laying flowers in front of a grave has surfaced online with claims that it depicts him mourning Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

A Nigerian X user, Nuhu Sadah, shared the clip with the caption:

“Heavy mourning worldwide Russian President Vladimir Putin places flowers in Moscow to honor Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei.”

As of February 2, 2026, the post had generated over 6,000 reposts and more than 45,000 likes.

 

CLAIM

The video shows Putin paying respects to Khamenei after his death.

THE FINDINGS

Findings by The FactCheckHub show that the claim is MISLEADING.

In late February 2026, reports emerged that Khamenei had been killed in a joint U.S.–Israeli airstrike on Tehran, significantly escalating tensions in the Middle East. Following the reports, Putin publicly condemned the strike, describing it as a “cynical violation” of international law. Iran and Russia have maintained close diplomatic and strategic ties in recent years, including a 2025 cooperation treaty covering political and military collaboration.

However, the circulating video does not show Putin visiting Khamenei’s grave.

A review of the footage shows that it was recorded on January 27, 2026, at the Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery in St. Petersburg. The event marked the anniversary of the lifting of the Siege of Leningrad during World War II.

During the ceremony, Putin laid a wreath at the “Mother Motherland” monument in honour of victims of the 872-day blockade. He bowed his head briefly, while an orchestra played commemorative music. A minute of silence was also observed.

He also laid flowers at one of the mass graves where his brother, Viktor, who died during the siege in 1942, is buried.

There is no evidence linking the footage to Khamenei’s reported death or any mourning ceremony related to Iran.

 

VERDICT

The claim that the video shows Putin mourning Khamenei’s death is MISLEADING. The footage is from a January 27, 2026 memorial event in St. Petersburg commemorating victims of the Siege of Leningrad, not a tribute to Iran’s Supreme Leader.

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Nurudeen Akewushola is a fact-checker with FactCheckHub. He has authored several fact checks which have contributed to the fight against information disorder. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 via Twitter.

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