Russian President Vladimir Putin is alive, and apparently well, reappearing in public Monday after a mysterious 10-day absence that sparked all sorts of rumors about everything from his health to his girlfriend’s possible pregnancy.

Putin met with Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atanbayev in front of reporters and cameras at the Kremlin on Monday, resurfacing after an absence during which the Kremlin had to repeatedly deny he was in poor health.

“It would be boring without rumors,” Putin reportedly said when asked about his absence on Monday. He hadn’t been seen in public since a March 5 meeting with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

The rumors began after he canceled a planned trip to Kazakhstan, as well as a trip to sign a treaty with the Georgian breakaway region of South Ossetia. A Kazakh government source told Reuters that Putin canceled because he had “fallen ill.” Then photos and videos released by the…