Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to soldiers on June 27 (Photo: Reuters).
"We have only one President Putin," Kremlin spokesman Dimitry Peskov said on November 4 in response to speculation that Mr. Putin has a body double.
Mr Peskov joked that “experts” on social media are wondering how many clones Mr Putin has and which ones they see every day.
"Today, Mr. Putin led a delegation of leaders and public figures to lay flowers at the Minin and Pozharsky Monument... Is that the third or fourth person to replace Mr. Putin? I don't know either," the Kremlin spokesman joked.
Last month, Western media cited unconfirmed sources saying that Mr. Putin was suffering from serious health problems and had to use a body double for public appearances, including foreign trips.
Responding to the information, Mr. Peskov said at that time: "The president is fine. It is clearly another fake news. This is an absurd information hoax that a series of media outlets have been talking about persistently. This evokes nothing but ridiculousness."
Putin has been dogged by health concerns and rumors of using a body double. In a 2020 interview, he dismissed the speculation, saying he had been offered a body double for security reasons but had declined.
Mr Peskov said the Russian leader has “excellent physical fitness for work” and can work non-stop for days on end. The Kremlin spokesman added that he had experienced this firsthand while working directly under President Putin.
According to Mr. Peskov, most of the President's schedule is not made public, many of which can last until 1am or 2am. This schedule includes a large number of meetings, discussions, phone calls, and reading documents.
Mr. Putin, 71, is a big fan of sports, especially martial arts. He still keeps a busy schedule of meetings and public appearances, many of which are broadcast on television.
Mr. Putin has led Russia since 1999. He served as president from 2000 to 2008 and from 2012 to the present. He also served as prime minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 under President Boris Yeltsin, and continued to hold the position from 2008 to 2012.
In 2021, the Kremlin owner signed a new law allowing him to run for two more terms.
Mr Putin is in his fourth presidential term, which runs until 2024. The new law paves the way for him to serve two more terms, each lasting six years, if he decides to run again and is elected.
He is expected to announce his re-election campaign soon. In September, Mr Peskov said that if Mr Putin decided to run again, no one would be able to compete with him.
Recent opinion polls show that Mr Putin remains the most popular politician in Russia. According to a Levada survey, President Putin's approval rating is currently 80%.
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