'Hand of Kremlin?': Russian official mocks Macron's awkward moment with wife

Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Monday mocked a viral video in which French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to have his face pushed away by his wife Brigitte upon their arrival in Vietnam.

She wrote on Telegram that Macron had received "A right hook from his wife."

The clip, widely shared on social media, appeared to show an awkward moment between the couple , sparking speculation about a possible dispute.

Zakharova also sarcastically suggested various explanations for the gesture, writing, “Did the first lady decide to cheer up her husband with a gentle pat on the cheek and miscalculated her strength? Was she handing him a tissue but missed? Did she want to fix his collar but ended up reaching the beloved face?”

“Here’s a hint: maybe it was the ‘hand of the Kremlin’?” she added

The French president has denied any conflict, saying the couple had simply been joking as they often do. “None of these are true" and "everyone needs to calm down.”

Even though the claims were later debunked, they still prompted a high-level reaction from the Elysee Palace and the French foreign ministry.

This marks the third time in May that Macron has been the focus of viral video content, as France faces what it calls an uptick in disinformation campaigns — many of which it believes are linked to Russia, amid ongoing tensions over the war in Ukraine.