Russia’s defence minister reappeared on television images broadcast Saturday, after his two-week absence from view prompted questions from journalists.
In the video, uploaded on social media, Shoigu said he had discussed issues related to the military budget and defence orders with the finance ministry.
“We continue ahead-of-schedule delivery of weaponry and equipment by means of credits. The priorities are long-range high-precision weapons, aircraft equipment and maintenance of engagement readiness of strategic nuclear forces,” said Shoigu, who is overseeing what Russia calls its special military operation in Ukraine.
The meeting was attended by a number of top Russian army officials including the chief of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, who also had not been seen in public recently.
Shoigu appeared on screen in a video clip of a meeting between President Vladimir Putin and his Security Council on Thursday, but was not shown speaking.
Prior to that, he had not been seen in public since March 11, fuelling speculation about his whereabouts. Some Russian media reports have speculated that Shoigu could have health problems.
On Saturday, the defence ministry denied reports that Shoigu had suffered a heart attack and was in hospital.
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Writing on messaging app Telegram, the ministry said that reports saying that Shoigu was recovering at Moscow’s Burdenko military hospital were “obviously fake”.
In early March, Russia imposed prison terms of up to 15 years for publishing “fake” news about the army.
Security and defence analyst, Michael Clarke, said the recent silence from Shoigu and Gerasimov is significant.
He said: “Their silence indicates that this operation has not gone to plan, otherwise they would have given daily updates at the most senior level.
“The speculation is that they are in disgrace and the loyalty of the armed forces at senior levels may be in doubt.”
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Earlier this week, the Kremlin referred to a conversation between the minister and Putin on the occasion of a report on developments of the “special military operation” at a meeting of the Russian security council, brushing aside speculation about Shoigu’s prolonged absence.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov sought to quell rumours, telling journalists: “The defence minister has a lot to take care of at the moment. There is a special military operation going on.
“This is not the moment for media activity,” he added.
Defence minister since 2012, he has sometimes been tipped as a potential successor to Putin in the Kremlin. He and Putin have been pictured in Siberia taking holidays together, fishing and picking mushrooms.
(With inputs from agencies)
