Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu “inspected” troops in the conflict zone of Russia’s war against Ukraine, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Dec. 18.
Attaching a short video of Shoigu in a military helicopter, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that he had spoken with troops about the current battlefield assessment “on the front line” and at a “command post.” It was unclear when exactly Shoigu’s visit really took place or whether he had come to Ukraine at all.
Moscow’s announcement comes a day after Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s meeting with his top military brass, including Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov, where they discussed the progress of the war in Ukraine.
Ten months into the full-scale invasion, Russia’s war efforts remain stalled in Ukraine despite its heavy losses. After a series of humiliating battlefield defeats, Russia has now lost more than half of the territories it had occupied since February.
