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Putin hits back at health rumours: "Life would be boring without gossip"

Xinhua, March 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday dismissed rumors of his poor health at a meeting with Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev here in St. Petersburg, saying "life would be boring without gossip."

Before the start of talks, Putin took the Kyrgyz President for a scenic drive through Constantine Palace on the outskirts of St. Petersburg.

Atambayev later confirmed the state of Putin's health to local media, saying "I have heard many such rumors about myself but none of them turned out to be true...Not only can President Putin walk, he can also drive a car and take his visitors sightseeing."

After the unexplained postponement of three-way talks between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus on Friday, speculations over Putin' s health went wild in western media over the weekend.

A clash in the schedules of the three leaders has now been offered as the official reason for the postponement. Endite