Russian Ministry of Defense Releases Video of Minister Shoigu Following Wagner Rebellion

Minister Shoigu Criticized for Causing Rebellion

Sergei Shoigu, Russia's Minister of Defense, made his first official appearance since the Wagner Group rebellion. Although he faced criticism for being a cause of the rebellion, he appeared resilient through a video released by the Ministry of Defense.

Foreign media, including Reuters, reported on the 26th (local time) that the Russian Ministry of Defense released a video related to Minister Shoigu. The video showed Shoigu boarding a helicopter and visiting Russian military units in the Ukraine war zone, where he held a meeting.

The video had no sound. The Russian Ministry of Defense explained that Minister Shoigu instructed commanders and senior officers attending the meeting to efficiently conduct reconnaissance activities to detect and preemptively strike Ukrainian equipment and troops.

Sergei Shoigu, Russian Minister of Defense [Photo by Yonhap News]

Inside and outside Russia, the release of the video by the Ministry of Defense is seen as an attempt to ease the responsibility attributed to Minister Shoigu. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, led a rebellion with his subordinates demanding the dismissal of the Russian military leadership, and Shoigu had been among those criticized. Prigozhin also claimed that Minister Shoigu shelled Wagner Group’s rear units.

On the 24th, Prigozhin led the Wagner Group out of Ukraine and advanced close to Moscow but withdrew after accepting negotiations mediated by Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus. The West anticipates that if this military rebellion weakens Russian President Vladimir Putin’s position, Russia could fall into further chaos.