Putin dismisses rumours he uses body doubles for security

Vladimir Putin said he was offered the chance to use a body double in the early 2000s, but rejected the idea

Russian President Vladimir Putin has admitted he was offered the chance to use a body double for security purposes, but rejected the idea.

He said the plan was tabled in the early 2000s, when Russia was fighting a war against separatists in Chechnya.

A 67-year-old former KGB agent, Mr Putin made several trips to the region during the conflict.

For years he has been the subject of conspiracy theories online, including that he uses lookalikes for security. (Text courtesy of BBC)