The last time Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu was last seen in public was on March 11. Since then, his fate has been unknown. There have been several rumors about what has happened, and the Kremlin has attempted to respond to them by showing a video. According to many, this is a "can of worms". In it, Shoigu talks via Zoom video call with Vladimir Putin and other top officials, after 13 days out of the spotlight. The camera zoomed in on his face for a few seconds, yet the minister did not speak, nor was he heard speaking. "He has a lot on his mind because of Ukraine. Now is not the right time for media appearances," Dmitry Peskov replied, when asked about this strange disappearance during the daily briefing to journalists.
Both Peskov's statement and Shoigu's presence in the video proved insufficient. They darkened the case more and so the discussion about the top minister continued. After all, the defence minister had until recently never been absent from Vladimir Putin's side, let alone in wartime.
His imprint on the domestic political scene was such that in 2012 the Economist described him as a "possible replacement" for Putin. He is the most senior member of the Russian government and has held many portfolios. He was considered particularly powerful, without many enemies and rivalries. Shoigu seemed absolutely precious after the invasion of Ukraine. In addition to Defense Minister, he has been involved in many operations in Chechnya and Georgia. He is the man who supposedly reorganized the Russian armed forces. In addition, he is credited with the military aspect of the annexation of Crimea. One would expect his presence to be visible daily in the Kremlin briefings. Initially, there was talk of a rupture in Putin-Soigou relations because of the outcome of the invasion. The Russian president was unhappy because of the delays, losses and general mistakes and sloppy handling. He held Shoigu himself responsible. Some even spoke of a heart attack during a heated discussion/argument between the two men.
A Russian-Israeli businessman named Leonid Nevzlin spoke to British media, confirming that the minister suffered a heart attack and is in critical condition in hospital, but it was not caused by "natural causes". "Seogu is out of the game and even if he survives, he may be crippled," he specifically denounced, suggesting an assassination attempt. Nevzlin is a former media mogul and a top executive in the oil sector. His relations with the Kremlin have been broken for decades. He was even sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment in 2008. He revealed that in addition to Shoigu, twenty top Russian generals have been targeted.
They were arrested on charges of embezzling $10 billion, which was earmarked for the war in Ukraine. According to him, "all the staffs" who had been siphoning off funds intended to support the "Russian liberators" in Ukraine since 2014 were arrested after the annexation of Crimea and the start of the conflicts in Donbass.
These allegations are particularly significant. If true, they shed light on the situation inside Russia and in particular on the power games taking place in the Kremlin. They reveal Putin's actions, which reveal rearrangements in his inner circle, purges, removals and a general estrangement. Finally, they show a nervousness and irritation at the course of the Russian invasion so far.
Source: Proto Thema
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