Jun 26, 2023 - World

Russian defense minister seen in video for first time since Wagner rebellion

Ivana Saric

Sergei Shoigu seen during the SCTO Summit in November 2022 in Yerevan, Armenia. Photo: Contributor/Getty Images

Russia's Defense Ministry released a video Monday showing Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visiting a military command post involved in the war in Ukraine — the first time he's been seen since this weekend's uprising by the Wagner Group.

Why it matters: Wagner boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin publicly feuded with Shoigu for months, calling him a "weak grandfather" during this weekend's short-lived rebellion and demanding his removal.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that he was "not aware of any changes in the issue of [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's trust" in Shoigu.
But speculation has swirled that Shoigu and other military leaders could be replaced.

State of play: The video, released on Telegram, comes as the Kremlin seeks to project a sense of control as uncertainty over what the uprising will mean for Russia and its leadership, including Putin, mounts. It was unclear when and where exactly the video was filmed.

The clip contains no sound but shows Shoigu attending a meeting and viewing documents.
Shoigu also received a briefing from the commander of the group, Colonel-General Yevgeny Nikiforov, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

Go deeper: What to know about Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner Group

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Russian defense minister seen in video for first time since Wagner rebellion

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