UK MoD claims Russian Defence Minister getting sidelined as Moscow's war woes grow

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu is currently being ignored by the Russian leadership, according to the UK Ministry of Defence. The UK MoD noted that recent independent Russian media reports claim that the Defence Minister is being disregarded as a result of the difficulties Russia is having in its conflict with Ukraine.

"Since Shoigu spent the majority of his career in the construction industry and the Ministry of Emergency Situations, it is likely that he has long struggled to overcome his reputation as lacking significant military experience," according to the UK MoD's daily update on the war.

According to the British Ministry, operational commanders are directly briefing Russian President Vladimir Putin on the status of the war. According to the update, Russian officers and soldiers with firsthand knowledge of the war routinely mock Shoigu for his ineffective and out-of-touch leadership as Russian progress has stalled.

Earlier, on August 24, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed that the slowing down of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine was intentional and motivated by the desire to minimise civilian casualties. However, from the start of the conflict, reports claim that Russian forces have been attacking Ukrainian civilians.

"Every effort is being done to prevent civilian casualties. It certainly slows down the advance," Shoigu said, TASS reported.

Russia-Ukraine War

Early in the conflict, Russia allegedly attacked a maternity hospital, killing at least one mother and child. Since then, playgrounds, theatres with child-safety signs, office and apartment buildings, and a shopping centre have been hit by Russia, Ukraine has alleged. Moscow has repeatedly denied its hand behind the attacks, claiming instead that they were "fake news" or that the victims of the attacks were actors playing a role in the crisis.

Russia has even attempted to blame Ukrainians, accusing them of attacking their own people. Shoigu's attempts to explain Russia's failures in the Ukraine war come amid a string of setbacks for Moscow, including explosions and attacks on a Russian air base in Crimea and a key supply bridge. Russia's military is reported to have faced problems from the start with its forces encountering logistical, planning, and fuel issues while attempting to seize the capital, Kyiv.

Image: AP