Vladimir Putin made his first public appearance in 11 days yesterday, brushing off rumours that he was seriously ill as mere gossip.
But questions lingered over why the Russian president had taken such a long, unexplained absence — a rarity for the workaholic leader who is a constant presence on state television, with a stream of documented work meetings, events and public appearances.
Mr Putin’s sudden disappearance and the clumsy attempts to hide it created a frenzy in Moscow that highlighted the opaqueness of the regime and the extent to which it has come to rely on one person.
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