Russian President Vladimir Putin’s defense minister has gone missing in the midst of Russia’s stalled offensive in Ukraine.

Sergei Shoigu, 66, has not been seen in public for nearly two weeks and Russian state media has been airing old pictures and footage of him in their reports.

On March 18th, the Kremlin wrote in a report that Shoigu and Putin had discussed “the progress of the special operation in Ukraine” with members of the UN Security Council, but photos were not provided.

On the same day, Russian media aired a story showing Shoigu presenting awards, but the photo used in the report had been previously shown on March 11th.

Shoigu had been one of Putin’s closest allies, and is likely the chief architect of the war in Ukraine. However, the relationship between the president and defense minister is believed to have soured as Russia’s armed forces become stuck in a Ukrainian quagmire.

Putin is reportedly furious at his inner circle of advisers, and he has reportedly been purging them, as he suspects some are stabbing him in the back. What is also likely to have made Putin apoplectic is that Shoigu’s daughter Ksenia appeared with her baby in Ukraine’s blue and yellow colors.

Has Shoigu been imprisoned or killed? Only time will tell.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)