Moscow: President Vladimir Putin will self-isolate after coronavirus cases were detected in his inner circle, the Kremlin said, as Russia struggles with stubbornly high Covid infection rates.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Putin was “absolutely healthy” and had taken a coronavirus test, without specifying the result.
Putin had been due to travel to Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe for a regional summit later this week but in a call with President Emomali Rakhmon said he would not be able to attend in person.
“Putin said that in connection with identified coronavirus cases in his circle, he will observe a self-isolation regime for a certain period of time,” the Kremlin said in a statement.
Russian authorities have taken exceptional measures to protect Putin — who has been vaccinated with Russia’s homegrown Sputnik V jab — since the start of the pandemic.
