A Russian defence minister who seemingly disappeared from the public eye two weeks ago has resurfaced.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had not been seen since appearing on Russian state television on 11 March with the Kremlin’s last reference to him coming on 18 March, where he and Vladimir Putin were said to have joined a security council meeting.
Questions had been raised surrounding his whereabouts with varying reports suggesting the 66-year-old was suffering health issues, and that he had fallen out with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Previous reports suggested he might even lead a coup against the Russian leader in a revolt over the Ukraine war.
However, he has since reappeared to chair an army meeting in which they discussed Russia’s weapon supply, in a video posted by the defence ministry.
The footage shows him talking through the military’s budget with the finance ministry, as well as procurements of artillery.
"We continue ahead-of-schedule delivery of weaponry and equipment by means of credit,” he can be heard saying.
“The priorities are long-range high-precision weapons, aircraft equipment and maintenance of engagement readiness of strategic nuclear forces.”
Also at the meeting was a number of high-ranking Russian military officials including the chief of general staff, Valery Gerasimov, who has also recently been absent from the public eye.
Mr Shoigu, a close ally to Putin who is overseeing his invasion of Ukraine, has not been seen with the president since a meeting with Mr Gerasimov on 27 February, just days after Russian troops entered.
With rumours of a rift between the pair, Kremlin refuted the claims on Thursday saying the defence minister had a lot on his plate right and “now is really not the time for media activity”.
It insisted Mr Shoigu has been present in a security council meeting with Mr Putin, with a video later released purporting to prove it.
The minister was briefly visible on a split screen of Russian officials displayed in front of the president although doubts quickly cast over its veracity.
There has also been hearsay he was suffering from ill health, with an unnamed official telling independent Russian news outlet Agentstvo he had heart problems.
