Russian Premier Vladimir Putin admitted today to being somewhat unforthcoming about the number of coronavirus cases in Russia, but unequivocally denied he was playing down the seriousness the coronavirus posed, saying people were mixing him up with another world leader.

“You’re thinking of my puppet.”

Putin said that though he was inclined not to go out of his way to tell the world about the outbreak in his country, he would never describe it as a politically motivated hoax like some people.

“Yes I am an authoritarian know for massaging the truth but I am also a serious intelligent man. For me to deny such blindly obvious scientific facts is beneath me.”

He said Russia plans to manage any outbreak by banning international travel and instructing the population to practice social distancing and stay at home. When it was put to him that people might not comply, Putin said that won’t be a problem.

“When I tell people to stay inside, they stay inside.”