Kyrgyzstan’s Atambayev denies rumors Putin is unwell

STRELNA, March 16. /TASS/. Kyrgyzstan’s visiting President Almazbek Atambayev has dismissed rumors Russian President Vladimir Putin is unwell. "The Russian president not just takes strolls, but often takes the seat at the wheel to take his guests for a fast ride," the Kyrgyz leader said before talks with the Russian head of state. He pointed out he was making that statement especially for the press to refute rumors. "I had happened to hear various rumors about myself, but as you can see all that (rumors about health) are not very correct," Atambayev said. "As a Russian saying goes, you won’t live to see that happen." Putin, who was standing nearby, nodded with a smile and added: "Life would’ve been too dull without rumors." Putin and Atambayev are meeting against a backdrop of Internet media speculations the Russian president is unwell. Over the past few days his press-secretary Dmitry Peskov has repeatedly dismissed such speculations. He told TASS that such claims were side effects a "seasonal aggravation" suffered by those who were circulating them. Read more