Russia's absent Defence Minister has finally been seen in public amidst swirling health rumours as he admitted the West is stalling war progress in Ukraine.
According to some sources, General Sergei Shoigu, 66, had been sidelined by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin over the country's Ukraine battle failures.
Others have even suggested he suffered a “massive heart attack” with a leading Putin foe even claiming it was not from natural causes.
But he has returned to duty as he praised Russian military personnel who displayed “courage and heroism”.
He said: “The US and Western states under its control do everything to prolong the special military operation for as long as possible.
“The increasing volume of foreign arms shipments clearly demonstrate their intent to provoke the Kyiv regime to fight until the last Ukrainian.”
Looking weary, he claimed Russia was systematically liberating Donetsk and Luhansk “people’s republics” in eastern Ukraine.
He told a meeting of top commanders: ”In the course of the special military operation the Russian army is coping with its tasks the supreme commander-in-chief [Vladimir Putin] identified.
“The plan for the liberation of the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics is being implemented systematically and measures are being taken to restore life to normal.”
It was his speech on the war in weeks since rumours have run wild that he has been side-lined by Putin, or had suffered health problems, with most suggesting heart problems.
There has been much suggestion that his role commanding the army has been usurped by General Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff in Russia, and General Aleksandr Dvornikov - aka the "Butcher of Syria".
One claim from an exiled Putin foe, Leonid Nevzlin, citing Moscow sources, was that he had suffered a “massive heart attack”.
Another version is that it was not so serious, but he was treated in intensive care.
One suggestion is that Putin was not convinced he is seriously ill and had refused an earlier request from Shoigu - his Siberian outdoor vacation buddy - to quit.
The last time the Defence Minister was definitely seen in public was at the funeral of far-right ultranationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky on April 8, when commentators noted he walked slowly.
He was also seen on video conferences with Vladimir Putin and prime minister Mikhail Mishustin at mundane Government business, but he did not speak and doubts remain whether the footage was live or canned.
Unlike today, he has not been shown speaking.
Amid the rumours, his younger daughter Ksenia, 31, this week sent him a cryptic public message posting on social media: “My pride, my guiding star, my dad.”
She added: “Proud to be your daughter.”
In footage apparently shot today, Shoigu was not shown walking but was seen reading a prepared statement, which surprisingly admitted the West’s role in holding back the progress of the war.
Shoigu’s troops have come under criticism for “genocide” and are accused of using rape as a weapon of war.
This has resulted in protests in Europe.
His main battleship in the Black Sea has been sunk, and Russia has lost more than 40 generals and colonels in a campaign seen as deeply flawed.
Nevzlin, 62, had claimed Shoigu was “out of the game” after suffering heart problems.
