Kremlin officials have broken their silence on Vladimir Putin’s health after it was claimed the Russian President suffered a suspected cardiac arrest.
Spokesman Dimitry Peskov spoke out against the claims which circulated via Telegram channel General SVR.
The unverified claim, reportedly operated by a former Russian military official, alleged Putin was assisted before being taken to an intensive care unit.
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Peskov claimed the suggestion that the 71-year-old uses body doubles is an “absurd hoax”.
He added: “Everything is fine with him, this is absolutely another fake.”
Peskov continued: “This belongs to the category of absurd information hoaxes that a whole series of media discuss with enviable tenacity. This evokes nothing but a smile.”
The Russian President previously revealed he was offered to use body doubles amid security concerns.
Spokesman Dimitry Peskov spoke out against the claims which circulated via Telegram channel General SVR
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However, Putin denied using them during the same interview.
A recent Japanese AI analysis and various media reports have cast further doubts on whether Putin himself has been in attendance.
But the suspected body double is said to have suffered a facial malfunction.
General SVR wrote: "The fault is again with the double’s ‘floating’ cheekbones, which do not stay in place and move in different directions.
"The double initially had less expressive cheekbones, which, as a result of plastic surgery, were ‘enlarged’ and made similar to Putin’s cheekbones.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting at the Belt and Road Forum in BeijingREUTERS"But it was impossible to make sure they stayed stationary in the right places."
The channel also claimed: "Doctors performed resuscitation, having previously determined that the president was in cardiac arrest.
"Help was provided on time, the heart was started and Putin regained consciousness."
General SVR added: "At about 9pm Moscow time, security officers of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who were on duty at the residence, heard noise and sounds of falling coming from the president's bedroom.
Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with South Sudan's President Salva Kiir at the Kremlin in Moscow
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"Two security officers immediately followed into the president's bedroom and saw Putin lying on the floor next to the bed and an overturned table with food and drinks.
“Probably, when the president fell, he hit the table and dishes and knocked them onto the floor, which caused the noise.
"Putin convulsively arched while lying on the floor, rolling his eyes.
"The doctors who were on duty at the residence and located in one of the adjacent rooms were immediately called.”