The Kremlin intervened after the “embarrassing” session.

Last week, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited the front on December 18.

– Shoigu has flown to areas where Russian forces are stationed and visited frontline positions, the ministry wrote in a statement, adding photos of him in a helicopter.

However, that turned out not to be true.

That day, he visited forces in areas well inside Russian-controlled territory, between Crimea and Kherson.

This is what the American think tank writes Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Criticisms received

After being caught in the mistake, the ministry has received a lot of criticism on social media and in the newspapers. And it was probably more embarrassing then Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced a real visit to the front lines December 20 in Bakhmut.

There have been fierce battles with many casualties on both sides in recent weeks.

The images mock Putin

This probably prompted the Kremlin to consider it necessary to send Shoigu again, this time to the front.

– Probably to dampen criticism that he is not an involved war leader, writes ISW.

Publish “video evidence”

The new visit took place on Thursday. However, it is not known which area Sjojgu went to, but the Ministry of Defense posted a video which showed him inspecting the barracks and walking through the trenches.

He must have checked the conditions for the deployment of military personnel and equipment, as well as the locations of military units, conditions of accommodation and heating of personnel.

– This shows that the Russian Defense Ministry is on the defensive when it comes to controlling the information space. They do not take the lead, but must counter the criticism they encounter, ISW notes.