The Russian Defense Ministry has released the first video of its boss, Sergei Shoigu, at work since Friday’s bizarre aborted coup launched by his nemesis, Yevgeny Prigozhin. The Wagner chief, backed by thousands of his mercenaries, took control of Russia’s Southern Military Command and sent his columns streaming toward Moscow before suddenly calling off the mutiny. The exact terms of the deal he made are not clear, but Prigozhin had reportedly demanded the sacking of both Defense Minister Shoigu and army chief Vitaly Gerasimov. Rumors circulated that both men were under house arrest, but a video released Monday morning apparently showed Shoigu, looking calm and composed, visiting a Russian command post, Reuters reported. But it noted: “There was no sound on the video and it was not immediately clear where or when the visit had taken place.”
First sighting of Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu after he went dark for days during Yevgeny Prigozhin’s uprising against him. He’s supposedly visiting a command post for the war in Ukraine, though it’s not clear when or where this was filmed pic.twitter.com/vUQZc9GpIN
