Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu recently visited troops in an undisclosed location and supervised the training of newly formed units consisting of contracted servicemen, according to a statement from the Ministry of Defence. The ministry also shared a video on its Telegram channel, featuring Shoigu wearing khaki military fatigues while inspecting soldiers at a shooting range. This marked Shoigu’s first public appearance with troops since the failed mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group last month.
The video footage did not specify the date or location of the inspection. However, Shoigu affirmed earlier this week that the mutiny did not impact Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine. In late June, Wagner fighters, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, seized control of Rostov, a city in southern Russia, and advanced towards Moscow. Prigozhin demanded the dismissal of Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the general staff. Fortunately, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko negotiated a resolution between the Kremlin and Prigozhin, resolving the crisis.
On Saturday, the defence ministry stated, “The Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation personally evaluated the training of contract servicemen in combat operations under various conditions, including urban combat.” This emphasizes the importance of readiness and preparedness among Russian military units.
It is essential to note that this content was produced in Russia, where there are restrictions on reporting about Russian military operations in Ukraine.
Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Alexander Smith
Credit: The Star : News Feed
