MOSCOW – Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday denied speculation that President Vladimir Putin was ill, saying there were no signs of the disease.
Putin’s health and personal life are taboo in Russia and are almost never discussed in public.
But there have been reports abroad that Putin is seriously ill, with several reports saying he suffers from “blood cancer”.
Answering a question on French television TF1, the top Russian diplomat said: “I do not think that sane people can see in this person signs of any disease or illness.
Lavrov said Putin, who will turn 70 in October, appears in public “every day”.
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“You can watch him on screens, read and listen to his speeches,” Lavrov said in a commentary published by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
“I leave it to the conscience of those who spread such rumors.”
Putin, who has been in power in Russia for more than two decades, sent troops to Ukraine on February 24, sending shockwaves around the world.
Moscow’s offensive has killed thousands, sparked Europe’s biggest refugee crisis since World War II, and led to unprecedented Western sanctions against Moscow.
ToI staff contributed to this report
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