Sergei Shoigu: Latest News

Russia’s Wagner mercenary force has said his troops now tightening their grip on the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut are being deprived of ammunition and that, if they are forced to retreat, the entire front will collapse.Yevgeny Prigozhin had said on Friday that his units had “practically surrounded Bakhmut,” where fighting has intensified in the past week after months of attritional warfare, with Russian forces attacking from three sides. Read more: Battle for Bakhmut rages on as Russian shelling elsewhere kills civilians  Wagner often appears to operate autonomously from the regular army, or even in competition with it – and in a video published over the weekend, Prigozhin complained that the ammunition that Moscow had promised it had not been delivered.“If Wagner retreats from Bakhmut now, the whole front will collapse,” Prigozhin said.

Russia’s most serious political crisis in decades, uncertainty swirled Monday about the fate of the former Putin ally who led a brief armed rebellion, his Wagner mercenary group, and the two military chiefs with whom he has clashed over the conduct of the war in Ukraine.Also unclear were the impact on the 16-month-old invasion – and the future of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who faced the most serious challenge to his authority in more than 20 years of rule.A feud between Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia’s top military brass amid the fighting in Ukraine erupted into a mutiny that saw fighters from the mercenary group leave the front in Ukraine to seize a south Russian city and march seemingly unopposed on the capital, before turning around after less than 24 hours on Saturday.The Kremlin said it had made a deal that the mercenary chief will move to Belarus and receive an amnesty, along with his soldiers. Yet on Monday, Russian media reported that a criminal probe against Prigozhin continued, and his whereabouts were unknown.Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu made his first public appearance since the rebellion that demanded his ouster, inspecting troops in Ukraine Monday in a video aimed at projecting a sense of order, as Russian media speculated that he and other top military leaders have lost Putin’s confidence and could be replaced.Shoigu was shown in video released by the Defense Ministry flying in a helicopter and then attending a meeting with military officers at a military headquarters in Ukraine.

Russia’s military leaders with expletive-ridden insults in a rift that has weakened the country’s forces amid the war in Ukraine.Yevgeny Prigozhin accused them of not providing him with munitions in the key battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut.A video in May showed him standing in front of the bloodied bodies of his slain troops yelling obscenities at Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov, calling them weak and incompetent, blaming them for the carnage."They came here as volunteers and they died to let you lounge in your mahogany offices," Prigozhin declared.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, on Thursday accused regular Russian army units of pulling back 570 meters north of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, leaving his own fighters’ flanks exposed.

KYIV, Ukraine - The Pentagon has released footage of what it says is a Russian aircraft conducting an unsafe intercept of a U.S. Air Force surveillance drone in international airspace over the Black Sea.The 42-second video, released Thursday, shows a Russian Su-27 approaching the back of the MQ-9 drone and beginning to release fuel as it passes, the Pentagon said.The U.S.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization of military reservists for the war in Ukraine.Flights filled up quickly and the prices of tickets for remaining connections sky-rocketed, apparently driven by fears that Russia’s borders could soon close or of a broader call-up that might send many Russian men of fighting age to the war’s front lines.Tickets for the Moscow-Belgrade flights operated by Air Serbia, the only European carrier besides Turkish Airlines to maintain flights to Russia despite a European Union flight embargo, sold out for the next several days. The price for flights from Moscow to Istanbul or Dubai increased within minutes before jumping again, reaching as high as 9,200 euros ($9,119) for a one-way economy class fare.

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of reservists in Russia, in a measure that appeared to be an admission that Moscow’s war against Ukraine isn’t going according to plan after nearly seven months of fighting.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (C), Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (L) and Chief Commander of the Russia Fleet Nikolai Yevmenov (R) seen aboard of the boat during the Navy Day Parade, on July, 31 2022, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Photo by Contrib MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday vowed to expand military cooperation with the country’s allies, noting that Moscow is ready to offer them its most advanced weapons.Speaking at the opening of an annual arms show outside Moscow that caters to foreign customers, Putin said that Russia’s arms exports play an important role in the development of a "multipolar word," the term used by the Kremlin to describe its efforts to offset what it perceives as U.S.

Putin is facing more health issues after he was spotted struggling to stay awake.The deranged dictator could barely hold his head up during a meeting with his Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Tuesday.He is rumoured to have thyroid cancer and health experts say that drugs used to treat the condition could explain the despot’s puffy face.READ MORE: Putin's descent from strongman to 'feeble cancer victim' took just 3 years, pics showThe 69-year-old is known for working hard to maintain a masculine, hardman appearance – but his steady decline has unfolded in front of the world’s media.He mumbled a half-hearted congratulations to his soldiers before making the deluded claim they had “liberated” the eastern region of Luhansk in Ukraine.The former KGB man added: "Other military units, including the East group and the West group, must carry out their tasks according to previously approved plans."Professor Angus Dalgleish of St George's, University of London, previously told The Mirror that Putin appears to be taking steroids.He explained: "We hear all the things that people say about him such as him losing his temper quickly and he's very frustrated so I think that he's clearly been on anabolic steroids."The medical expert claimed behaviour such as posing bare-chested on horses is a sign of narcissism, after the famous photo of the Russian President on a ride was mocked by Western leaders.He added: "Those sorts of people are likely to be taking anabolic steroids.Stay in the loop with all the latest Daily Star news by signing up to one of our free newsletters here."He's had that really bad back pain so he's likely to be taking opiates, they can also make you dumb and aggressive."It’s not the first time questions have been raised

An aerial view taken on April 12, 2022, shows the city of Mariupol, during Russia's military invasion launched on Ukraine. (Credit: ANDREY BORODULIN/AFP via Getty Images) POKROVSK, Ukraine - Russia claimed to have captured Mariupol on Friday in what would be its biggest victory yet in its war with Ukraine, after a nearly three-month siege that reduced much of the strategic port city to a smoking ruin, with over 20,000 civilians feared dead.Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin the "complete liberation" of the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol — the last stronghold of Ukrainian resistance — and the city as a whole, spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.There was no immediate confirmation from Ukraine.Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti quoted the ministry as saying a total of 2,439 Ukrainian fighters who had been holed up at the steelworks had surrendered since Monday, including over 500 on Friday.As they surrendered, the troops were taken prisoner by the Russians, and at least some were taken to a former penal colony.

Vladimir Putin has been seen manically shuffling his feet and looking frail during a meeting with a head of state, while a body language expert claims he looks “astonishingly weakened”.

Vladimir Putin fidgeting his feet has sparked more health fear of the despot's health.The Russian despot was meeting with Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon yesterday (Monday, May 16) to discuss the trade and commercial connections between the two countries.During the televised rendezvous as shared by Russian media, the 69-year-old Russian leader is seen erratically moving his left foot and twisting his toes and heels while talking to Rahmon.The unusual behaviour is also spotted by Rahmon, who can be seen looking down at Putin during his odd foot movement. Putin keeps his right arm on the chair while keeping his left hand on his lap.Rumours over Putin's deteriorating health have strengthened in recent months.Last month, the Russian president was seen shaking his hands "uncontrollably" when he met his close ally, Belarus' leader Alexander Lukashenko.During a meeting with his defence minister Sergei Shoigu, Putin also appeared unwell as he gripped the corner of the desk throughout the entire session and appeared to be slightly slumped in his chair.People on social media also noticed a change in Putin's physical appearance, describing him as "ashen and bloated".One Royal Navy admiral claimed the president, 69, may have cancer.Retired Royal Navy Admiral Chris Parry said: "He has been using these very long tables to interview people."I think his immune system might be suppressed at the moment.

Vladimir Putin was spotted keeping warm with a heavy blanket as he oversaw the massive parade of his country’s military might to mark Victory Day – the day when Russia marks the end of World War Two. While it was a slightly chilly 9ºC in Moscow this morning, none of the other senior Kremlin dignitaries watching the march-past felt the need for a blanket, adding to concerns that the Russian leader’s health could be failing.One user on Twitter commented on the blanket by tweeting: "President Vladimir Putin throws aside his Russian Wool blanket to stride manfully to the unknown."While another joked that "Putin stole a blanket from a veteran" after noticing few others had one.There have been reports that Putin was undergoing treatment for both cancer and Parkinson’s Disease, even before he launched his attack on Ukraine.The poor progress of his invasion seems to have taken an additional toll on his health.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin is suffering from a serious illness was fuelled last night after he attended a church service for Easter.

Vladimir Putin looking "astonishingly weakened" has triggered fresh speculation about the Russian President's health.The Russia-Ukraine war appears to have taken a toll on Putin since he first ordered troops to invade the neighbouring nation on February 24. In the televised meeting on Thursday (April 21) a "bloated" Putin is sitting at a desk and discussing the ongoing invasion of Ukraine with his defence minister Sergei Shoigu.The pair are discussing the "liberation" of the heavily-bombed Ukrainian city of Mariupol and Putin looks very unwell.He grips the corner of the desk throughout the entire meeting and appears to be slightly slumped in his chair.Putin also seems to unintentionally grimace in between sentences as if he might be in physical discomfort or even pain.There have been longstanding theories about Putin's health woes, including one that he is suffering from thyroid cancer and has all the symptoms.

KYIV, Ukraine - Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to claim victory in the strategic port of Mariupol on Thursday, even as he ordered his troops not to storm the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in the war’s iconic battleground.Russian troops have besieged the southeastern city since the early days of the conflict and largely pulverized it — and top officials have repeatedly indicated it was about to fall, but Ukrainian forces stubbornly held on. In recent weeks, they holed up in a sprawling steel plant, and Russian forces pounded the industrial site and repeatedly issued ultimatums ordering the defenders to surrender.Putin said that, for now, he would not risk sending troops into the warren of tunnels under the giant Azovstal plant, instead preferring to isolate the holdouts who have captivated the world’s attention "so that not even a fly comes through." His defense minster said the plant was blocked off, while giving yet another prediction that the site could be taken in days.Putin's order may mean that Russian officials are hoping they can wait for the defenders to surrender after running out of food or ammunition.

Vladimir Putin bathes in antler blood because he believes it has health benefits including boosting male potency, reports claim.The Russian president has been a fan of the procedure since the mid-2000s and isn’t the only Kremlin official to enjoy the bizarre ritual.Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin is also said to soak in the rare liquid, which is extracted by painfully hacking off a deer's horns.Defence minister Sergei Shoigu introduced the alternative treatment to Putin who washed in a “bathtub containing an odorant extract from blood-filled deer antlers”.Although there is no evidence for the health benefits, the blood’s alleged impacts also include age reversal, bone and muscle strengthening, and even improvements to eyesight and hearing. It has been a tradition for hundreds of years in Russia and there is also evidence of it taking place in China and Korea.

MOSCOW – Russian troops began pulling back to their permanent bases Friday after a massive buildup that caused Ukrainian and Western concerns.

MOSCOW : A small independent Russian teachers' union is urging members not to be coerced into accepting shots of the "Sputnik V" coronavirus vaccine which is to be mandatory for military personnel.Moscow clinics last week began receiving supplies of the vaccine, which has been approved for use inside Russia even though the final Phase III tests, involving 40,000 people, began only last Wednesday.From September, doctors and teachers will be among the first to be offered the jab on a voluntary basis, officials have said, an arrangement President Vladimir Putin has said he supports.Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has said shots of the vaccine will be made mandatory for military personnel.With Russian schools re-opening on Sept.

MOSCOW – Russia’s defense minister called on law enforcement officials Wednesday to consider filing criminal charges against representatives of other countries where World War II memorials commemorating the actions of the Soviet Union are demolished.

Vladimir Putin has been granted an exemption to a rule demanding all over 65s in Moscow self-isolate at home amid the coronavirus scare.