A Kremlin spokesperson has confirmed that president Putin and prime minister Medvedev remain in close contact during the latter’s absence from public events, because of 'a sports injury'.

According to Iran Press report, Vladimir Putin’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday:  “The president is traditionally in constant working contact with the chairman of the government,” . Peskov added that the work of the two top Russian officials provided for such constant contact regardless of their actual location.

However, Peskov declined to comment regarding Medvedev’s state of health, and suggested that reporters address questions on this matter to the government press service.

He was speaking shortly after newly launched Russian news site Project quoted unnamed sources in the Kremlin and State Duma saying that the prime minister had missed several public appearances, and nobody knew why. The sources insisted, however, that prime minister Medvedev was not on vacation.

An unnamed representative of the Russian government’s press service told TASS that Medvedev’s absence was a result of a sports injury. “A trauma received in the course of sports exercises does not allow the prime minister to participate in public events,” the source said, without disclosing any further details.

( RT contributed to this report )