On 3 September 2025 in Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin told reporters that a private exchange with Chinese leader Xi Jinping touched on scientific advances in longevity, and he suggested that repeated organ replacement could one day greatly extend human life, even to the point of ‘immortality’ in casual remarks captured by an unintended audio feed.
Key Takeaways
- The remark was made during a visit to China and followed an inadvertent audio broadcast of a conversation between Putin and Xi ahead of a military parade.
- Putin linked modern medical methods, including organ replacement, to the potential for substantially longer lifespans.
- On the recording, Xi referenced predictions that some people might live to 150 this century.
- Putin warned demographic shifts: by 2050 there may be more people over 65 than five- and six-year-olds worldwide.
- Media reports note Putin’s long-standing interest in longevity and his access to specialised medical teams and facilities.
- Caveats remain: scientific consensus does not confirm near-term human immortality through organ transplants.
Verified Facts
On 3 September 2025, during an official trip to China, remarks by President Putin about possibilities for extending human life were reported after a microphone accidentally relayed private conversation between him and President Xi Jinping. The exchange was broadcast alongside footage of the two leaders walking together at the head of a parade procession that included other regional leaders.
Putin told a press briefing that “modern means and methods of improving health, even various surgical [operations] involving organ replacement, allow humanity to hope that … life expectancy will increase significantly.” He made the comment after reference to small talk captured by broadcasters about changing patterns of ageing.
The recorded conversation included a translated remark attributed to Xi that some forecasts suggest people could reach 150 years of age in this century. Putin’s translator was heard suggesting that ongoing advances in biotechnology could allow organs to be replaced repeatedly so a person might “become younger” or, in his phrasing, “could even become immortal.”
Context & Impact
Putin highlighted demographic consequences of rising longevity, noting projections that by 2050 there will be more people older than 65 than there will be five- and six-year-olds. He said such shifts would carry social, political and economic effects globally.
Observers have repeatedly reported Putin’s interest in life-extension, including coverage that he utilises dedicated medical teams and facilities. One of his daughters, Maria Vorontsova, is an endocrinologist who has been linked to a state genetics programme overseen by Mikhail Kovalchuk, a long-standing ally.
Policy implications of extended lifespans could include pension and healthcare reforms, shifts in labour markets, and geopolitical consequences if prominent leaders remain in office longer. Putin’s current presidential term runs to 2030; under constitutional changes enacted earlier, he could remain eligible to serve a further six years.
Official Statements
“Modern means and methods of improving health… allow humanity to hope that… life expectancy will increase significantly.”
Vladimir Putin, press briefing, Beijing, 3 Sept 2025
Unconfirmed
- No scientific consensus supports the idea that routine organ replacement will produce human immortality in the foreseeable future.
- The remark attributing a possible 150-year lifespan to this century reflects forecasted scenarios, not established fact.
Bottom Line
The exchange amplified attention on longevity as both a scientific ambition and a political talking point. While medical advances are extending healthy life spans, claims that organ transplantation alone will lead to immortality remain speculative. The comments are likely to fuel further public and policy debate about ageing, healthcare capacity and the role of state-backed research.