Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov say Vladimir Putin not ill

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has trashed mounting speculation that warmongering President Vladimir Putin is seriously ill.

The Kremlin’s top diplomat was asked by French broadcaster TF1 about the rumors sparked in part by Putin’s bloated features and unusual tics and twitching during recent appearances.

“I don’t think that sane people can see in this person signs of some kind of illness or ailment,” Lavrov insisted, according to Agence France-Presse.

Lavrov also dismissed rumors that Putin, who turns 70 in October, has used pre-taped footage and “deepfakes” to cover his absence following surgery, reportedly for blood cancer.

The Kremlin official insisted that Putin has appeared in public “every day.”

“You can watch him on screens, read and listen to his speeches,” Lavrov said, AFP reported of comments released by the Russian foreign ministry.

“I leave it to the conscience of those who spread such rumors,” he said.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, Lavrov has also repeatedly denied that his forces have targeted civilians, despite overwhelming evidence pointing to such war crimes.

With Post wires