A Kremlin spokesman laughed off rumors about Russian President Vladimir Putin being terminally ill, insisting that Putin is "fighting fit" and even playing sports.
What Happened: Kremlin diplomat Dmitry Peskov dismissed Putin's grueling health condition rumors after NBC News' Keir Simmons pointed out a recent clip in an interview showing the Russian President "limping, shaking and gripping a table," The New York Post reported.
"What I suggest is that you watch his performance," Peskov said, adding that Putin spoke and answered questions for more than three hours during the Russian state awards ceremony.
"I can tell you one thing yesterday, I know, in the afternoon, actually he played hockey ... then think about his health by yourself," he said.
The comments came as rumors about Putin's deteriorating health amid the Russia-Ukraine war have rapidly spread on the internet in the past few months. Many intelligence sources have also claimed that Putin has cancer, Parkinson's disease, or early-stage dementia.
Earlier, Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov also denied rumors that Putin is unwell and said, "I don't think that a sane person can suspect any signs of an illness or ailment in this man."
