RUSSIA'S defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, has disappeared from the spotlight as reports have emerged of Putin investigating “guilty men” within his inner circle.
Shoigu is in charge of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and has overseen the operation which has resulted in more than 10,000 Russian troop deaths and untold civilian casualties.
The defence minister has not been seen in public for 12 days as outdated footage and images have recently been broadcast of him on Russian media outlets amid claims that he has “heart problems”.
This follows reports that Putin is investigating his closest allies after fears were raised over the leaking of Russian military plans. Some claim that the information leaks have contributed to the deaths of more than a dozen Russian generals in Ukraine.
READ MORE: Who is Sergei Shoigu? Russia’s defence minister and Vladimir Putin ally
Suspicions arose of Shoigu's safety as a Kremlin report on March 18 said that Shoigu and Putin had discussed with permanent members of the security council "the progress of the special operation in Ukraine". However, no footage or images of this were shown.
A story on the same day broadcast by Channel One had a segment of Shoigu presenting awards but used a picture that had been initially published on March 11.
Despite being a long time friend of Putin, Shoigu’s feelings towards the invasion have previously been called into question. Back in February, he garnered attention as his body language during a talk with Putin suggested he was uncomfortable with the president's rhetoric and behaviour.
— max seddon (@maxseddon) February 27, 2022
Adding to the speculation, his daughter was also recently pictured wearing the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag.
With suggestions that Shoigu has fallen foul of Putin's suspicions, it remains to be seen if the defence minister has fallen victim to a witch-hunt.
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