2023-09-14 12:56:00
By Marcus Giebel
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Sergei Shoigu doesn’t cut a particularly happy figure in the Ukraine war. In an interview, the defense minister reveals doubts regarding his troops.
Moscow – One thing you have to give credit to Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin, as well as his Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and the former quasi-interim President Dmitry Medvedev: Russia’s leading figures understand it Ukraine war, with their aggressive speeches they use their aggressive speeches to stir up and continually rekindle hatred of the West and the neighboring country that has been invaded. And on top of that, to conjure up and maintain a lust for war among quite a few citizens. This is probably the only reason why they are still so firmly in the saddle and seem untouchable in their own country.
Despite all the setbacks that accompany the war of aggression, which, even following a year and a half, is still officially referred to as a special military operation in Russia. The men from the center of power are skilled at creating enemy images and inciting the crowd. On the one hand, this is a danger to the world order, but it probably allows the members of the leadership circle to sleep more peacefully.
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Shoigu on state TV: No loudspeaker like Putin or Medvedev
Sergei Shoigu seems to be having a much harder time switching into propaganda mode. The defense minister rarely appears in public as a major speaker. This might have something to do with the fact that he has come under heavy fire from allies since the beginning of the attack because of various military decisions. For example, the now deceased Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin or the former military leader Igor Girkin, who has been imprisoned for a few weeks.
But perhaps also because Shoigu is far from being able to ignite the fire that Putin depends on with all the bad news from the front – including during Ukraine’s current counteroffensive. In an interview with Russian state television, the 68-year-old, who took office in 2012, makes it abundantly clear that he is not one of those loudspeakers like his boss, Lavrov or Medvedev.
Clueless gesture in front of an audience of millions: Sergei Shoigu doesn’t seem to be really convinced of a Russian victory in the Ukraine war.
© Screenshot Twitter/@NOELreports
Shoigu and the end of the war: Putin’s defense minister shrugs his shoulders when asked an important question
As a video circulating on Twitter shows, Shoigu is being attacked by the reporter from Russia 1 asked whether Russia will win this war. This would certainly be a great opportunity for Putin to spend several minutes explaining why his country is so much superior to Ukraine and why his special operation cannot end other than with a victory for Moscow. But Shoigu lets this opportunity slip by and literally stumbles over the journalist’s perfect template.
Instead of answering quickly and decisively, he initially just shrugs his shoulders. And seems to want to say: How should I know that? An answer that takes a deep look. After all, following thinking for far too long, he still manages to say: “We have no other choice.”
However, this unconvincing reaction was apparently not enough for the Kremlin. Like the one considered independent Moscow Times reported, the video of the interview has already been removed from the TV station’s website. But the Internet doesn’t forget – something that should also be clear to Putin and his supporters.
“Somewhere it is more difficult, somewhere it is easier, but I can say that the guys act confidently, the commanders act confidently and reliably, reliably defend what we need to defend today. We will win, we have no other options,” Shoigu said. pic.twitter.com/pWA7y2KYpi
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Shoigu interview on the Internet: Honest assessment instead of Russian propaganda
Among others, Anton Gerashenko, the advisor to the Ukrainian Interior Minister, distributed the three-second excerpt. But there are also longer versions that make it clear that Shoigu doesn’t exactly exude enthusiasm in his previous answers. Instead of pure propaganda, he delivers a much more honest assessment of the situation in the war zone than Putin would like.
“We have the spring and summer campaign behind us. Now the autumn campaign is upon us,” he is quoted as saying in an English translation: “The troops are in the process of directing the defense in the right direction. In some places it’s harder, in some places it’s easier, but I can tell you that the guys act confidently, the commanders act confidently and reliably defend what we have to defend today.
And further: “These are the directions in which the Ukrainian armed forces want to break through, but the main task is to disable their equipment.” This is followed by the reporter’s question, which was probably planned long in advance and presented with great expectations. And the answer, because of which Putin will have to have another serious word with his already ailing defense minister. (mg)
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