THE Kremlin has rushed to deny claims that Vladimir Putin's health is failing in an unprecedented move.
It comes after the Russian president, 72, admitted in a televised meeting that he has been regularly undergoing medical examinations at a top hospital in Moscow.
"Doctors at the Central Clinical Hospital, where I undergo all sorts of regular examinations, also recommend getting vaccinated with domestically produced drugs," Putin said.
Also part of the meeting was Russia's health minister Mikhail Murashko who supported his boss's calls for people to get vaccinations.
However, attention was quickly drawn to the dictator's comments after years of speculation about his health.
Putin's aides quickly quashed any concerns surrounding the President's condition.
The Russian leader "has no health problems" state news agency TASS insisted while reiterating that Putin's medical visits were routine appointments.
"He meant routine medical examinations," Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Rumours about Putin's health have swirled for years after the president's "strongman" image took a hit due to dramatic changes in his appearance.
He has been seen looking exhausted, out of breath, having difficulty walking, and pulling bizarre gurning faces.
There have also been times when Putin appeared to be in some kind of pain as he strongly gripped tables while in meetings, sparking rumours of Parkinson's.
Around the same time in 2022, experts started noting his "bloated" and "weakened" appearance with some claiming he could have had thyroid cancer.
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It was initially suggested that Putin's decision to invade Ukraine on February 24 may have been sparked by his failing physical condition.
The leader's strict isolation rules during the Pandemic also sparked ideas that the dictator who started spending long periods in isolation had been worried about catching Covid while undergoing some form of treatment.
At the tail end of the pandemic when restrictions were being lifted across the world, Putin's abnormally large meeting table for public appearances was widely mocked and continued to generate concern.
Most recently, footage emerged of the leader appearing to scratch at his face during another televised meeting on Wednesday.
Putin's rumoured health issues
DESPITE Putin's cultivation of himself as an “action man” - questions have long been raised over his health.
It is rumoured that he has undergone repeated botox treatments which could have caused itchiness.
'A MYSTERY TO ALL'
The Sun has previously been told by experts and doctors that there is no doubt that his health has deteriorated.
Rumours have even swirled that the despot has a body double as he attempts to cling to power for as long as possible.
"If you watch Putin closely, it's hard to avoid the suspicion that often some of the appearances you're seeing are not, in fact, the same person," Keir Giles, Russia expert at Chatham Hous previously told The Sun.
"You also notice the trends in his health over time. His health does seem to improve and deteriorate in different public appearances.
"There are some times when he looks really quite frail, bloated, puffy, shaking, having to grip onto the table and only giving very short five-minute speeches even on major public events.
"And then there are times when he appears to bounce back as a much healthier individual who is standing up and speaking for 40 minutes.
"But what is actually wrong with him is a mystery to us all."
However, the despot appears to have no intention of slowing down as he continues to lead the nation and its attack on Ukraine.
In March, the ageing leader won the rigged election to see him continue his reign until 2030 when he will turn 77.