Russian Defense Ministry/Handout/Reuters
2023.03.05 Sun posted at 10:22 JST
（ＣＮＮ） Russian Defense Minister Shoigu inspects the front line in Donetsk Oblast, eastern Ukraine.
On the 4th, the Ministry of Defense announced an unusual visit by Mr. Shoigu. He issued a statement that he had visited the front-line command post of Russian troops stationed “in the direction of South Donetsk.”
A video released by the ministry shows Shoigu presenting the medal to a soldier and visiting the damaged building with General Muradov, commander of Russia’s Eastern Military District.
Shoigu told the soldiers, “We still have a lot of work to do. I hope you will continue to serve your country faithfully.”
He and other defense officials have been publicly criticized by Prigozhin, the founder of the Russian private military company Wagner.
Prigozhin has been crediting Wagner since the beginning of the Ukraine invasion. One of them is the fierce battle that continues in the important Bakhmut area of Donetsk.
Some say that Shoigu’s visit to the front lines hints at a struggle for leadership within Russia.
