Russia denied a report that Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, 72, was hospitalized in Bali, Indonesia, just before the Group of 20 leader summit.
Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, said the report was "the highest level of fakes" in a video with Lavrov, which she posted Monday on the Russian social media platform Telegram. The video depicts Lavrov in casual clothing working outside what appears to be his hotel room.
In the video, Lavrov says: "They've been writing about our president for 10 years that he's fallen ill. It's a game that is not new in politics."
The Associated Press reported earlier Monday that Lavrov was being treated in Bali for a heart condition, citing four Indonesian government and medical officials.
"He left the hospital after a brief checkup, and his health is in good condition," said Bali Gov. I Wayan Koster.
The director of health services governance at the Indonesian Health Ministry, Dr. Sunarto, confirmed Lavrov had visited to "get his health check … and thank God he is healthy."
Lavrov is expected to represent Russian President Vladimir Putin during this week's G-20 forum, just as he had during last weekend's East Asia Summit in Cambodia. Putin has left open the possibility of meeting virtually.
Russian state news agency, Tass, reported Lavrov saying, "I'm in the hotel, reading materials for the summit tomorrow."
The mixed reports come along with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's surprise appearance in Kherson, Ukraine, after the city was liberated from Russian occupation. Zelenskyy is also expected to attend the G-20 summit virtually.
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