Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov again dismissed rumors about his health Thursday night, telling his social media followers, “doctors say I have the body of a young guy.”
Kadyrov, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s key allies in his full-scale war against Ukraine, was live-streaming on social media site VKontakte during an evening walk when a follower inquired about his health.
“If I’m singing, that means I’m alive,” said Kadyrov, who had kicked off the video by singing a ditty. “My health is fine, I undergo minor repairs every three months, and every six months major repairs,” he joked.
In a line that wouldn’t be out of place in a doctor’s note dictated by Donald Trump (a.k.a “the healthiest individual ever elected” U.S. president), Kadyrov added: “Doctors say I have the body of a young guy.”
Kadyrov has repeatedly been forced to dismiss rumors that he is suffering from serious health issues and seeking a succession plan, as photos and videos emerged of him looking bloated and slurring his words.
Earlier this month, Kadyrov claimed on Russian state TV that he undergoes medical check-ups every three months and the only problem he has is “a slight deficiency in vitamin D.” The camera then cut to footage ostensibly of Kadyrov doing 30 push-ups, though it was not clear when it was filmed.
Back in April, Kadyrov also showed off his gym regimen in an attempt to quell rumors about his ailing health.