Where is Putin? What's Going On in Russia?

Marc Bennetts of Vocativ reports the latest:

Russian state TV reported Putin met with the Kyrgyz president — but the meeting isn't until Monday

Kremlin-controlled TV informed millions of Russians about a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and his Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambayev. Nothing unusual about that, right?

Wrong.

The meeting between the two leaders of the former Soviet republics isn’t due to take place until Monday. But that didn’t stop the newsreader on the Rossiya 24 channel reading out the following item – all in the past tense.

“The Kremlin also reports that Vladimir Putin met with Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambayev on Monday. They talked about cooperation in investment and humanitarian spheres, as well as the energy sector. They also discussed the possibility of Kyrgyzstan joining the Eurasian Economic Union.”

Before we get to Monday, as most of you are undoubtedly aware, we have to get past the weekend first. A spokesperson for Rossiya 24 quickly announced the news item had been a mistake. And, on a normal day, that would have been that.

But these are not normal times in Russia. Putin hasn’t been seen in public for over a week...

Was Rossiya 24’s report on Putin’s meeting prepared in advance, because the Kremlin knew he would not be attending? Was it part of a cover up that was inadvertently aired ahead of time? Either way, it’s added to a general atmosphere of confusion and apprehension in Russia right now