Russia releases strange video of Lavrov claiming he’s fit and well

Moscow released a video featuring Lavrov in what appeared to be his hotel room in Indonesia (Image: Will Stewart)Russia has attempted to dismiss reports of Moscow’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, being rushed to hospital on Monday.Indonesian officials said Lavrov had been taken to Sanglah Hospital shortly after he arrived in Bali ahead of the start of the G20 summit on Tuesday.Unnamed medical and governmental officials said the highest-ranking Russian official at the summit was being treated for a “heart condition”.Wayan Koster, the governor of Bali, said Lavrov had received a “check-up” and had “immediately” returned to his lodgings.The reports were swiftly denied by Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, who called them “the height of fakery”.Following the news, Moscow released a video featuring Lavrov in what appeared to be his hotel room in Indonesia, relaxing in a T-shirt.Speaking in the video seemingly filmed by Ms Zakharova, she questioned Lavrov on his reported trip to a medical facility.Lavrov pointed to various reports of Vladimir Putin’s ailing health in recent years, commenting of Western news outlets: “They’ve been writing about our President [Vladimir Putin] being sick for the last 10 years.”He continued: ‘This is a game, and not a new game in politics.’He then went on to say: “I wish Western journalists were more honest than they are.”I wish them to write the truth more often, and not  limit themselves to just one point of view, which they keep transmitting whenever the story touches on the interests of the Russian Federation – which are ignored.”He then claimed he had spoken with Indonesia’s foreign minister, and he was preparing for the start of the summit on Tuesday.Lavrov, 72, has served as one of Vladimir Putin’s closest allies in the role of foreign minister since 2004.He is thought to be Putin’s stand-in for the G20 summit, where many world leaders will be gathered for the two-day conference.Among the attendees in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, US President Joe Biden, and Chinese premier Xi Jinping.Mr Sunak said ahead of the kick-off of the conference that Putin’s seat will be “vacant” among world leaders as Russia’s pariah status deepens over Ukraine.More to follow…