Russian officials furiously deny rumours over Vladimir Putin's 'disappearance'
RUSSIAN officials have furiously denied rumours Vladimir Putin is ill, amid claims the country's president has suddenly disappeared from public life.
A Kremlin spokesman has dismissed suggestions the 62-year-old leader is unwell, his government has resigned or a close ally has quit as boss of oil giant Rosneft.
As soon as spring is in the air, then the fever begins
Reports surrounding Putin's well-being went into over-drive when the Russian president cancelled a high-profile meeting with Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev and Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko yesterday.
It has also been claimed that several official pictures on the Kremlin website of Putin at meetings were claimed to have been taken in advance of when they were posted.
Speaking about the cancellation of yesterday's meeting, Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "We are not giving any explanations as to the reasons. This was the decision of the leaders."
He added: "As soon as spring is in the air, then the fever begins.
"We are calm on this fever, and respond to the questions with patience."
A day earlier he had said: "The president feels fine."
Rumours that close Putin ally and hardliner Igor Sechin had quit were "dreams" as were whispers of the government resigning, he added.
It is claimed Putin has now not been seen in public since March 6.
Although several official pictures of Putin working have been posted on the Kremlin website over the last couple of days, many have suggested the snaps were taken in advance.
The photographs show Putin working alongside several regional governors.
Many have claimed the meetings took place on March 5 but were issued later to make it appear as if the president was working normally.
A picture of Putin marking International Women's Day on March 8 was also taken in advance, it has been claimed.
"To prove that Putin is alive and well, Peskov showed picture from a week ago," one blogger covering the mystery disappearance posted.
The pictures from the International Women's Day also caused their own anger within the Kremlin, with Putin reportedly furious guests had not been informed to refrain from wearing high heels – and therefore exposing the Russian leader's lack of height in the official images.
During Putin's previous absences, rumours circulated the politician was undergoing plastic surgery treatment.
The growing mystery over his whereabouts have come amid claims the opposition leader Boris Nemtsov was assassinated on the orders of the Kremlin.
Zhanna Nemtsova, the victim's daughter, today accused Vladimir Putin of being "politically responsible" for her father’s death.
The unexplained absence of Putin is similar to the disappearance of North Korea dictator Kim Jong-Un – who vanished for some five weeks late last year.
Jong-un's absence prompted rife speculation about the state of his health, with rumours suggesting that gout, a broken ankle and problems with a hip joint could be troubling him.
