The Kremlin has rejected what it said were lies that Russian President Vladimir Putin has likenesses replacing him and that he spends most of his time in a bunker fortified of nuclear radiation.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the remarks about what he described as slanders against Russia during a speech in which he addressed the country's history since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the causes of the war on Ukraine and alleged betrayal by Western society.
"You probably heard that he (Putin) has a lot of lookalikes doing his business instead of him while he sits in a bunker," Peskov told a conference in Moscow, then added with a laugh that "another lie."
"You see for yourself what our president looks like, he was and still is very active, and those who work next to him hardly catch up with him," he said.
"You can only envy him for his energy, we only wish him continued health, God willing."
The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected speculation that Putin, who has led Russia since 1999, was ill.
During an official visit to Moscow in March, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Putin he was convinced voters would back the Russian leader again in the 2024 presidential election.
Putin has yet to announce whether he will seek another presidential term.