Vladimir Putin sidelines 'ridiculed' defence minister Sergei Shoigu who previously went missing for days

Back in April, it was reported that Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu, 67, had suffered a mysterious heart attack and gone missing. What's more, it was rumoured that the heart attack was not due to natural causes. Now, he has apparently been sidelined by Vladimir Putin.

A change of heart

Shoigu is the longest-serving minister in the Russian government and oversaw Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. He had always been thought of as a close ally and confidant of Putin, and a member of his inner circle, as reported by the New York Post. Now, it seems, things have changed.

The British Ministry of Defence posted its latest defence intelligence update on Twitter on Monday 29 August 2022. Citing recent independent Russian media reports, it said:

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu is now being side-lined within the Russian leadership, with operational commanders briefing President Putin directly on the course of the war.

In addition:

Russian officers and soldiers… probably routinely ridicule Shoigu for his ineffectual and out-of-touch leadership as Russian progress has stalled.

Shoigu has likely long struggled to overcome his reputation as lacking substantive military experience, as he spent most of his career in the construction sector and the Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Progress slowing

According to the ministry, Putin has firedat least six generals for failing to make advances quickly enough. On Shoigu's part, he claimed on Ukraine’s independence day, 24 August, that Russia had purposefully slowed the pace of its military campaign to reduce civilian casualties.

He said, as reported by Newsweek:

Everything is being done to avoid casualties. Of course, this slows down the pace of attacks. But we are doing this deliberately.

Shoigu said, in a meeting of defence ministers as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Uzbekistan, that Putin's so-called 'military operation' is 'going according to a set plan' and pledged that 'all the objectives will be achieved.'

However, Ukrainian defence intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov contends that the real reason for the slowdown was the 'moral and physical fatigue' of the Russian soldiers. There have also been recent reports about the problem of alcohol in the Russian army.

Read more:

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