Putin blames 'sanitary reasons' as he refuses to stand within 70ft of Britain's new ambassador to Moscow at diplomatic ceremony

Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed his refusal to stand within 70ft of Britain's new ambassador to Moscow at a diplomatic ceremony on 'sanitary reasons'.

Putin appeared to hold out an olive branch to Britain, as he called for 'change for the better' in relations between Moscow and London at a ceremony in the gilded Alexander Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, in which Putin accepted the diplomatic credentials of new ambassadors, including Britain's new man in Moscow Nigel Casey. 

But his words were contradicted by his actions as the Russian President stood at an awkward distance from the new 21 envoys in front of an enormous golden door with flags at either side of him, refusing to speak with them or stand in close proximity to the group. 

The envoys could be seen listening at the other side of the room looking displeased in a ceremony that resembled a pandemic event.

Putin has been frequently seen close to multiple people in recent days and weeks and the confident delivery of his speech seemed at odds with his behaviour.

Putin alluded to the recent 80th anniversary of the Tehran Conference of the heads of the three allied states: the Soviet Union, the US and Britain - Joseph Stalin, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, 'which laid the foundations of the modern system of international relations'.

Putin said: 'In the post-war period and until recently, our countries managed to build interaction based on the understanding of their special responsibility for maintaining global peace, stability and security as permanent members of the UN Security Council.

'But the current state of affairs in the dialogue with London is common knowledge, and let us hope that the situation will change for the better in the interests of our two countries and peoples.'

Putin told the envoys - including the new ambassadors of Germany and Australia: 'Unfortunately, for sanitary reasons, we cannot talk more, socialise.

'I hope that better times will come, not only in politics but also in health care, and we will be able to do so.

'In any case, as a matter of routine, both myself, the Foreign Minister [Sergey Lavrov], and my assistant for international affairs [Yuri Ushakov] are always at your disposal.'

Recent pictures show Putin standing close to people with no discernable sanitary issues at play.

The chill in relations between Britain and Russia has been worsened by Putin's decision to illegally invade sovereign state Ukraine.

On arrival in Moscow, Casey bluntly told the Kremlin that 'ending the human suffering' caused by Putin in Ukraine was Britain's priority.

Standing at his official residence with his back to the Kremlin, and speaking in Russian, he said: 'Maintaining relations with the Russian government and the Russian people remains important to the UK, perhaps today more important than ever.

'Decisions taken by Russia matter not only for the UK, but the whole world.

'Few of the issues, currently facing us, are more important than ending the human suffering caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.'

Telegram channel General SVR claimed today that it was a Putin doppelgänger who greeted the ambassadors on arrival in Moscow.

'The backup accepted credentials from the newly arrived ambassadors of foreign states,' it stated.

'The main reason for the double's 20 metre distance from the ambassadors is the deplorable state of the [body double's] face.

'Several small lumps have appeared on "Putin's" cheekbones, which is why his face has acquired a lumpy appearance, and this problem can hardly be hidden with makeup.

'As of yesterday, the double was more different than ever from the real Putin.'