Russia’s defence minister seen for first time since Wagner Group coup | World News
Russia’s defence minister has finally come out of hiding since the rebellion of Wagner Group fighters.
Sergei Shoigu, who has long remained a political ally of the president, appeared in public today for the first time since mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin demanded his ouster over failures during the war.
Footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry appears to show the politician visiting soldiers involved in fighting in Ukraine.
Shoigu can be seen flying in a helicopter, being shown battle positions from the air.
He then met with military officers, though it remains unclear when or where it was filmed.
This comes as speculation continues to spread on Russian Telegram channels that he is being investigated, and under house arrest, pending his removal from the Kremlin over theft of military funds.
Vladimir Putin appears to have for survived the revolt after Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko stepped in to broker a deal, but Shoigu’s position is deeply precarious.
The minister was nowhere to be seen at the time as Wagner fighters approached Moscow over the weekend.
Further to this, there are rumours the Russian leader has lined up Alexei Dyumin, Tula governor and former deputy defence minister, to replace Shoigu.
A trusted ex-bodyguard of Putin, he once saved him from being attacked by a brown bear.
He is also thought to have played a role in the pact that stopped Wagner’s ‘march for justice’ into the capital on Saturday.
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