Russian president Vladimir Putin resurfaced, smiling and looking his normal self after a 10-day absence from public view that fuelled a wave of rumours about his health.

The Kremlin has confirmed Russian president Vladimir Putin has finalised the divorce from his wife of 30 years Lyudmila following the couple’s sudden split last summer.

Russian politicians have voted for restrictions on the news media after a Moscow newspaper reported that President Vladimir Putin had divorced his wife and planned to marry a champion gymnast.

A Moscow newspaper that reported Vladimir Putin had divorced his wife and planned to marry an Olympic gymnast was closed by its publishers, just hours after the Russian president angrily denied the report.

Russian president Vladimir Putin today laughed off questions about an affair with a champion gymnast.