Sergei Shoigu, the missing Russian Defense Minister, remains unaccounted for. As various reports have pointed out, and after video samples exposed by the Russian media, he has been missing since March 11.
The Kremlin, trying to quell rumors of his absence, broadcast a short video without sound in which the defense minister appeared in the corner of a screen. In theory, this image would be part of a larger fragment of a video call made with Vladimir Putin. However, this test has aroused the theories of the people, who consider it to be a ploy to hide the truth about Sergei’s situation. In Russia they have slipped the idea that his health is the main reason why he has stayed away from the media spotlight, but it seems unlikely.
After all, the politician has not answered the various calls that the Pentagon has made. Putin’s government stated that not only did he have health problems, but “he has many concerns”, which is why he is not available.
His non-answer to the “hotline” has been considered by the media to be a sure sign that the Russians do not know where Shoigu is. The situation is quite worrying if we take into account that he is one of the three people who have access to Vladimir’s nuclear briefcase.
As pointed out by ‘The Washington Post’, both have preferred not to establish any class with the Pentagon. This information acquires greater notoriety if we take into account that John Kirby, spokesman for the Department of Defense of the United States, has confirmed that both he and Lloyd Austin, secretary of defense, have tried to speak with them. Mark Milley, the head of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, also joined these attempts.
Without a doubt, it is a complex situation, since those who say they have not received an answer are some of the most important visible heads of the US national defense organization chart. Even more so if we take into account that the line of communication established between the The Pentagon and the main Russian leaders have been open continuously since the end of the Cold War.