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"I don't think reasonable people can see in this person signs of some kind of illness or condition," he said in response to a question from French TV station TF1.
Lavrov said Putin, who will turn 70 in October, appears in public every day. "You can see him on the screens, read and listen to his speeches. I put it on the conscience of those who spread such rumors," he said."
[/P]Note that Putin's health and private life are taboo subjects in Russia and are almost never discussed in public.
The Russian leader's public appearances have recently fueled a strong rumor that he is seriously ill. He has long been known to suffer from back problems and appears to have undergone surgery more than once. So far we have also heard that he may be suffering from Parkinson's, as he seems to be having contractions. Reports that he frequently visits cancer specialists have even raised thoughts that he suffers from thyroid cancer and, more recently, there has been a claim that he is "very sick with blood cancer".
However, according to Professor Mark Galeotti, the intense rumour about Putin's health suggests a reliance on a hope for resolution of issues related to the Russian president on a ... mechanical God.
The "release" of Donbass is a "non-negotiable priority" for Moscow
Lavrov also referred to Russia's goals in Ukraine, stressing that the "release" of Donbass is an "unconditional priority" for Moscow. He also suggested that other Ukrainian territories should decide their own future.
"The liberation of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, recognized by the Russian Federation as independent states, is an unconditional priority," he said. For the remaining territories in Ukraine, he said: "I do not believe they will be happy to return to power a neo-Nazi regime that has proven to be Russophobic in essence. These people have to decide for themselves."
Russia's invasion, he argued, became "inevitable" after Western countries failed to heed warnings he described about their contempt for Ukraine and military attacks on its Russian-speaking citizens.
"Yes, people are being killed," Lavrov said. "But the operation is taking so long mainly because the Russian soldiers involved have strict orders to avoid attacks and strikes on civilian infrastructure."
Source: naftemporiki.gr
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