Questions have been asked about the stability of Vladimir’s inner circle after it emerged that Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu has not been seen in public for almost two weeks.
It has been 13 days since official sources published news of Mr Shoigu, who until now has been one of the most visible members of the Russian regime.
The head of Russia’s General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, has also gone missing from the public eye.
The last news update on his Defense Ministry profile were dated March 11, where he handed out awards to Russian soldiers who had “distinguished themselves in the special military operation”.
READ MORE: Putin orders Russian military chiefs to put nuclear forces on high alert
Russian journalist Dmitry Treschanin also noted that Russian state-run news agency RIA also haven’t reported on Shoigu since March 11.
Sergei Shoigu, right, in uniform.
Russian sources told news outlet Agentstvo Media Shoigu has been experiencing “heart problems”, but the picture remains murky. An 11 March video of Shoigu awarding soldiers was rebroadcast on 18 March, and described as "today"
According to the Kremlin’s website, the defense minister attended a high priority meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other high ranking members of the National Security Council.
The Kremlin is yet to publish any photos or footage of the meeting.
Shoigu, a general in the Russian army, is regarded as one of Putin’s closest advisors, and has been at his side for more than a decade having served as governor of Moscow Oblast.
In August 2018, Putin invited Shoigu to go on a Siberian hunting trip with him and his FSB Chief Alexander Bortnikiov. Only the three men attended, with no other top Kremlin officials listed in their party.
READ MORE: Could FSB spymaster be in line to replace Putin over Ukraine?
Shoigu was seen during a recent broadcast by the Russian President on 27 February, where Putin informed the world he was putting Russia’s nuclear forces on high alert.
However, the two men were not pictured together, with Shoigu only appearing as the camera cut away.
Putin: "Western countries aren't only taking unfriendly economic actions against our country, but leaders of major Nato countries are making aggressive statements about our country. So I order to move Russia's deterrence forces to a special regime of duty." pic.twitter.com/AC1yHncqZc
— max seddon (@maxseddon) February 27, 2022
News.com.au reports that Moscow Times reporter Jake Cordell tweeted on Wednesday about “lots of Telegram chatter today about the whereabouts of Russia’s defense minister Sergei Shoigu,” noting that Shoigu has not been seen with Putin since a meeting in Moscow on Feb. 27, just three days after beginning the invasion of Ukraine.
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