Russia’s Vladimir Putin dismisses ‘gossip’ over absence

Russian President Vladimir Putin has laughed off speculation about his health after making his first appearance in public since 5 March.

Life “would be boring without gossip”, he told Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev at talks in St Petersburg.

The 62-year-old appeared relaxed and smiled before the television cameras.

His disappearance from public view had sparked rumours that he might have fallen ill, died, been removed in a coup, or once again become a father.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Putin ordered the Russian navy’s Northern Fleet on to a state of full combat readiness in the Arctic.

It came as more than 45,000 troops, as well as warplanes and submarines, started major military exercises across northern Russia.

‘Excellent form’

A brief video of Mr Putin’s meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart at the Constantine Palace in Russia’s second city was broadcast by state television without sound.

Finally the mysterious Mr Putin has been found.

It is now official: he is neither dead nor would it seem has he been stricken by some life-threatening illness. In fact he looked reasonably healthy in the video broadcast of the meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambayev in St Petersburg.

But while the Kremlin press office is having the last laugh about all the wild rumours of the past week, it’s still saying nothing about why he cancelled meetings and was not seen in public for what was, for him, a long absence.

And so at least some of the rumours may persist about what was happening behind the scenes.

What is known is that on this the day of his return to the limelight, he has ordered the northern fleet of the Russian navy to conduct a massive combat readiness exercise.

This comes as the US continues to deliver military equipment to the Baltic states and Poland, and while Nato navy exercises continue in the Black Sea. So it’s straight back to business as usual.

BBC