MOSCOW, December 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin is unconcerned about various reports about his private life and allegedly poor health, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists Tuesday.
"No, Vladimir Putin is not concerned about it, and the number of these publications is hardly growing. A couple of reports you mentioned hardly qualifies as growth. This was always there, remember," Peskov said, answering a question how the Russian leader treats reports regarding his personal life, family and his nearest surroundings.
"Such publications always accompanied the president, and he never paid too much attention to them," the spokesman said.
He reminded that Kremlin prefers to ignore such things, because such attempts to discredit the president do not reach its target.
"Basically, it’s a compilation of various rumors. I repeat: we know who does it, and we know that his will keep going on," Peskov said.
The spokesman pointed out that publications regarding Putin’s health "are a complete nonsense."
"There’s no decency at all, probably. They should have asked us, we would have answered," Peskov said.
Speaking about whether Kremlin plans to somehow change the coverage policy for the president’s personal life towards more openness, Peskov noted that the president answered this question repeatedly himself.
"Look at all his answers. He literally answered this question himself many, many times," the spokesman said.
Indeed, Putin was repeatedly asked about his private life, but the president usually explains his opacity in this regard by security concerns and his wish to preserve anonymity for his relatives, so that they can live a normal life.
Terror threat
Meanwhile, Peskov refrained from tying this Putin’s behavior to the risk of terror threats.
"A terror threat is present everywhere. In this case, countries cope with this threat differently. As for the president, it is his choice, and he said it repeatedly," Peskov said, answering a question on why other world leaders are more open about their private lives and whether Putin’s opacity indicates a higher terror threat in Russia.
"As for the idea that should know their president - his position is known to all citizens. Citizens vote, they did it a several times already, and showed their support to the president and his actions, not to the president’s family," Peskov concluded.