The President of Russia is reportedly in quarantine on Tuesday, due to several individuals in his entourage testing positive for novel coronavirus, according to CNN. 

President Vladimir Putin tested negative for the virus, the Kremlin said Tuesday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin is "absolutely healthy."

The spokesman told reporters that "several people" in the 68-year-old leader's inner circle were infected with COVID-19, and President Putin feels he "must take a responsible position and not endanger the health of his colleagues."

Peskov did not identify the individuals who has tested positive and said he didn't know if they'd been vaccinated.

On Monday, President Putin held an in-person meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in addition to participating in face-to-face talks with a number of Russian Paralympians and troops in Nizhny Novgorod.

When asked why Putin, after being exposed to individuals with COVID, still met with the Syrian leader in person, Peskov said Putin's meeting with Assad took place before the decision to quarantine was made.

"First, I can say that Putin did not meet with Assad at the end of the day, it was at the beginning of the working day. And everything else, as the doctors completed their studies and the necessary procedures ... a decision was made. There is nothing illogical here. At that time [when the meetings happened], doctors were still doing their tests," Peskov said.

"Nobody's health was endangered," he added.

The Kremlin added that Putin's scheduled appointments for the remainder of the week will be carried out via videoconference.

"Isolation does not directly affect the work of the President. But there will be no face-to-face events for some time," Peskov said.

Russia reported about 17,861 new cases of COVID-19 Monday.

The country also says 39.8 million people, which is about 27 percent of the population, on Russian soil are fully vaccinated.