On Thursday, the Kremlin was forced to deny that Vladimir Putin died of cancer at his residence in Valdai, north of Moscow.
The Russian leader has been the subject of online speculation about his health, while the Kremlin has also denied online rumors that he had a heart attack.
Recommend from These statements were made by the Telegram channel General SVR, which has long asserted that the 71-year-old man is suffering from cancer. This channel claims that Putin's entourage is trying to impersonate him as the real president.
These claims were dismissed by Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, who told state media outlet RIA Novosti that the report was "absurd information". The notification from the Telegram channel reads: “Attention! There is currently a coup attempt in Russia! Russian President Vladimir Putin died this evening at his residence in Valdai.
At 8:42 pm Moscow time, doctors stopped resuscitation and declared death. "Now the doctors are blocked in the room where Putin's body is located, they are detained by members of the presidential security service by personal order of Dmitry Kochnev, who communicates and receives instructions from the Secretary Russian Security Council."
Nikolai Patrushev Federation. “Security for the president's bodyguard has been increased. Active negotiations are underway. Any attempt to impersonate the president after Putin's death is a coup." This account, although popular in Russia, is anonymous and provides no evidence of its claims.
“These [types of stories] fall into the category of fake news, which is discussed by some media outlets with enviable tenacity,” Mr. Peskov said. This only brings a smile [to the Kremlin].” Earlier this year, a spokesperson addressed the look-alike speculation, calling it a “lie.”
“You've probably heard that Putin has a lot of doubles working for him when he's in the bunker,” he said. “These are more lies. That's still a lie. You see our president. He is still the same as before, very active. On Wednesday night, Putin was seen overseeing a nuclear military exercise that he said involved "a response to an enemy nuclear attack."
State television showed Putin leading the exercise in a video call with senior military officials. On Friday, photos were officially published by the Sputnik news agency of Putin chairing a meeting with permanent members of the Security Council via video link from Moscow.