Vladimir Putin’s favourite propagandist 'who West wants to assassinate' has refused to explain abrasion and bruising marks on his face.
Outspoken anchorman Vladimir Solovyov, who regularly advocates nuking Britain, angrily refused to be drawn on how he sustained a cut above his left eyebrow and facial bruising.
The injuries come amid rumours that even Putin is growing tired of his endless rants.
But the father-of-eight is seen as an evangelist for the war in Ukraine with his rhetoric important to maintaining the backing of ordinary people for a conflict which has cost tens of thousands of Russian lives.
His wounds were seen on his ‘Solovyov Live’ show, but he reacted badly when asked by URA.RU how he sustained the injuries.
He said: “Don’t you have anything else to do in life at all? A - it’s none of your dog's business. B - tell your readers to watch [my] broadcasts. There's nothing wrong.”
By his ‘Evening with Vladimir Solovyov’ show last night, the wounds, including bruising between his left eye, had been hidden by makeup.
One theory from BAZA media was that the 58-year-old got wounded while sparring in a ‘non-contract fighting’ session.
But his trainer Mikhail Ryabko said Solovyov had been sparring and “possibly something appeared on his face afterwards” yet it was “unlikely”.
He joked Solovyov may also have been sparring with his wife, Elga Sepp, 50, mother of five of his children.
In April, Putin alleged a Western plot to assassinate Solovyov.
"They have moved to terrorism preparing the murder of our journalists,” he told Russian prosecutors.
Putin said: "We know by name the curators of western secret services, primarily, of course, from the CIA, who work with the security agencies of Ukraine.
"Apparently, they give such advice [to kill journalists]. So much for their attitude towards the rights of journalists ... [and] human rights in general."
The FSB secret service arrested “members of the neo-Nazi terrorist organisation National Socialism/White Power” who allegedly had confessed to “planning to kill a public figure, the well known journalist Vladimir Solovyov”.
Yet footage released of the plotters led to suspicions that this was an FSB “fake” to frame Ukraine for carrying out Western orders.
"The SBU has no plans to assassinate V Solovyov,” said a statement from the Ukrainian intelligence agency.
The Telegram channel General SVR, recently claimed that Putin was growing weary of Solovyov, a man he has previously honoured.
It claimed Putin had told aides: “Tell that idiot, let him close his mouth or wait until someone will close him”.
Viewers are also said to be turning off from Putin’s propagandists.
Solovyov has claimed the war is "a righteous operation ... for the de-Nazification in Ukraine”.
He regularly makes doomsday threats aimed at the West, and very often Britain.
In one he threatened to destroy England with a giant hypersonic Satan-2 [Sarmat] rocket, but leave Scotland, Wales and the island of Ireland unharmed.
The British have “lost their minds” in opposing Putin, he said.
He claimed “just one Sarmat” would sink Britain.
Solovyov has been sanctioned by the West for his links to Putin.
Earlier in the war, two holiday villas he owned in Italy were attacked by protesters.
