Is Vladimir Putin ill? Russian president reportedly 'found on floor' after suffering from 'cardiac arrest'

Questions are circling over the health status of Russian President Vladimir Putin after reported that the was "found on the floor" after suffering from a "cardiac arrest".

The claims were made by the General SVR channel on social media site Telegram. The channel is reportedly to be run by former Kremlin insiders, however this is debated by experts.

The General SVR channel claimed: "At about 9pm Moscow time, security officers of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who were on duty at the residence, heard noise and sounds of falling coming from the president's bedroom. Two security officers immediately followed into the president's bedroom and saw Putin lying on the floor next to the bed and an overturned table with food and drinks. Probably, when the president fell, he hit the table and dishes and knocked them onto the floor, which caused the noise.

"Putin convulsively arched while lying on the floor, rolling his eyes. The doctors who were on duty at the residence and located in one of the adjacent rooms were immediately called.”

The statement continued: "Doctors performed resuscitation, having previously determined that the president was in cardiac arrest. Help was provided on time, the heart was started and Putin regained consciousness."

The validity of the claims have not been corroborated. General SVR has in the past commented on the Russian leader's health, and made suggestions that Putin frequently used body doubles to fill in for him when he has been unable to appear in person due to illness. However, the Kremlin has brushed off rumours of Putin's ill health and use of body doubles.

Putin's health has been the subject of speculation for many years, intensifying after the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Rumours have swirled over a possible cancer diagnosis, as well as a diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease.

What has the Kremlin said about Putin's health status?

The Kremlin have rubbished the latest claims, stating that Putin, who turned 71-years-old on 7 October, is "fine". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Everything is fine with him, this is absolutely another fake."

He added that body double claims were false also, after speculation over the practice during the Russian president's visit to China last week. Peskov told the media: "This belongs to the category of absurd information hoaxes that a whole series of media discuss with enviable tenacity. This evokes nothing but a smile."

Putin himself has also denied claims that he uses a body double in the past. In a 2020 interview, he said that he did not use body doubles in place of himself, but did say that he had been offered the chance to use one at certain times in the past due to security concerns.