Shoigu, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, has kept a low profile lately despite playing a leading role in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The independent Russian news agency Agentstvo reported on Wednesday that Shoigu was in poor health, citing anonymous sources at the ministry. Peskow dodged questions about Shoigu’s health on Thursday. “The secretary of defense is very busy at the moment,” he said when CNN asked about Shoigu’s absence. “The special military operation is underway. Of course, now is not exactly the time for media activities, which is understandable.”
The Kremlin spokesman declined to refute Agentstvo’s report when asked by CNN. “I can’t. You shouldn’t listen to Agenstvo media agency. Please contact [these questions to] of the Department of Defense.”
Shoigu appeared in a Channel One broadcast on March 18, which the Russian source said was from that day, but Russian journalists have speculated that the event broadcast was from March 11.
The state TV channel Russia 24 broadcast recordings on Thursday of a virtual meeting that Shoigu attended, but did not say when the meeting took place.
The moderator quoted Peskov as suggesting that Shoigu would remotely report to the National Security Council on the military operation in Ukraine. Broadcast footage, which interrupted a live interview, did not show Shoigu speaking, but his image appeared on the screen alongside other participants in the video call reporting to Putin.
During a televised Security Council meeting in Russia on March 11, Shoigu told Putin that his invasion of Ukraine was being carried out successfully, despite evidence to the contrary.
Western leaders at the time said Russia’s military had encountered unplanned obstacles and resistance.
“Everything is going according to plan, we will report to you here every day this week,” Shoigu said.
He also claimed that the Russian army had received more than 16,000 applications from Middle Eastern volunteers who wanted to join the war in Ukraine.
The defense minister also asked Putin for more weapons to arm the separatist regions in Ukraine’s Donbass.
Russian military leaders, including Shoigu, have blocked their US counterparts and rejected calls since the invasion began, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement Thursday. He added that US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark A. Milley “have sought and continue to seek contacts with their Russian counterparts. Minister Shoigu and General (Valery) Gerasimov have so far declined to get involved.”
“We continue to believe that engagement between U.S. and Russian defense leaders is critical at this time,” Kirby added.
CNN has previously reported that the last known time Austin last spoke to Shoigu was on February 18th. Milley last spoke to Gerasimov on February 1.
Envoy announces
The speculation about Shoigu’s health comes as longtime Russian government insider Anatoly Chubais became the most prominent Kremlin figure to resign since the war began a month ago.
Peskov confirmed that Chubais had quit his job as Putin’s climate ambassador, but denied any knowledge of Chubais’ reported opposition to the invasion of Ukraine.
“No, the Kremlin doesn’t know anything about it,” Peskov told CNN when asked to comment on reports that Chubais quit his job because he disapproved of Putin’s decision to start the war in Ukraine.
Peskov also confirmed that his letter of resignation must be sent to Putin himself.
“Those appointed by presidential decree are writing (resignation letters) to Putin,” he added.
Peskov said Chubais was not a full-time government employee and works on a voluntary basis.
Chubais first came to prominence in the 1990s as Russian President Boris Yeltsin’s finance minister, before he held powerful posts in Russia’s energy industry.