Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov dismissed a report that he had been taken to hospital with a heart condition, chiding Western journalists for what he said was false reporting. The Associated Press (AP) news agency, citing Indonesian officials, reported on Monday that Lavrov was taken to hospital after arriving on the island of Bali for the Group of 20 summit. The AP said Lavrov, 72, had been treated for a heart condition. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova posted a video on her Telegram feed of Lavrov with her, where they appear to be laughing after several media outlets reported that he was in hospital. “We are here with Sergei Viktorovich [Lavrov] in Indonesia, reading the cables and not believing our eyes,” Zakharova said. “It’s the highest level of fakery.” In the video, Lavrov is seen wearing a T-shirt with a design by the late American artist Jean Michel Basquiat and shorts and wearing an Apple watch. Lavrov is attending the G20 summit on behalf of Russia after President Vladimir Putin announced last week that he would not actually attend the Bali meeting. In the Telegram video, Russia’s top diplomat claimed the reports were part of “some kind of game” he blamed on Western media. “They have been writing for about 10 years that our president is sick,” Lavrov said. Bali Governor Wayne Koster told the Reuters news agency that Lavrov had visited the hospital for a check-up and was in good health. Putin’s health has been the subject of speculation for many years, with a section of the Western media suggesting he has cancer or Parkinson’s disease. The Kremlin denies that the 70-year-old has serious health problems.
