Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made a public appearance on Monday, seemingly defying the ongoing armed rebellion calling for his removal. The Kremlin is currently engulfed in political uncertainty due to the situation.
The Russian Defense Ministry released a video showing Shoigu flying in a helicopter and meeting with military officers in Ukraine. Although it is unclear when the video was filmed, it circulated widely on social media and Russia-controlled television.
The rebellion was led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin specifically targeted Shoigu and General Staff chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov. Starting from Ukraine, the fighters marched towards Moscow but abruptly turned back less than 24 hours later.
Tensions had been building for months as Prigozhin criticized the Kremlin, particularly Shoigu, claiming that his fighters were not given enough ammunition during a deadly battle in Bakhmut, Ukraine.
In a video posted on Friday, Prigozhin accused Russia of lying about the Ukrainians and the reasons for the war, specifically opposing the concept of “denazification.”
The rebellion ended when Putin brokered a deal through Russian ally Belarus, enabling Prigozhin and his fighters to relocate to Belarus and receive amnesty. However, Russian media reports on Monday suggested that Prigozhin’s whereabouts were unknown and that the criminal investigation against him had not been closed as claimed by the Kremlin.
The full impact of the Wagner Group’s rebellion on the war in Ukraine remains unclear. Ukraine has initiated a risky counteroffensive to reclaim its occupied territory from Russia.
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