'Health Rumors' Russian Defense Minister Appears in Public After Half a Month

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu (right) is attending a meeting chaired by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on the 27th of last month (local time) with Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff (equivalent to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff). (AFP=Yonhap News)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] The Russian Defense Minister, who had been rumored to have health issues, appeared after about two weeks.

On the 26th (local time), according to foreign media such as the British BBC and the American New York Times (NYT), the Russian Ministry of Defense released a video on social media showing Sergey Shoigu, the Russian Defense Minister, presiding over a military meeting that day.

In the video, Minister Shoigu said, "We will deliver weapons and equipment ahead of schedule," adding, "Maintaining combat readiness of long-range precision weapons, aircraft equipment, and strategic nuclear forces will be prioritized."

The Russian Ministry of Defense also stated that Minister Shoigu held a working meeting on the state defense order program and the social obligations of Russian soldiers.

This marks the first time Minister Shoigu has appeared publicly since the 11th, about two weeks ago. His last public schedule was meeting Hulusi Akar, the Turkish Minister of Defense, and visiting a military hospital in Moscow to award medals to wounded soldiers. Although Russian state media reported that Minister Shoigu visited the military hospital on the 18th as well, the footage used was archival.

Because of this, Western media speculated that Shoigu, one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest aides, might have been ousted or was experiencing health problems.

Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor to the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs, claimed on Facebook the day before that "after Putin's strong criticism that the invasion of Ukraine was a complete failure, Minister Shoigu suffered a myocardial infarction and is undergoing rehabilitation treatment in a hospital."

Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff (equivalent to Chief of Staff), who had also been out of public sight along with Minister Shoigu, appeared in the meeting video for the first time since the 11th.