For about two weeks now two key figures in Russia's national security leadership, Minister Serhiy Shoigu and Chief of Staff Gerasimov, have been missing from Russian federal airwaves and public protocol events.
This was announced by Mikhail Podoliak, an adviser to the head of the President's Office and a member of negotiation delegation with the Russian Federation.
"They have dropped off the radars. There are no systematic and important protocol statements of other heavyweights, including the heads of special services Patrushev, Bortnikov, Naryshkin. They also disappeared from the obligatory protocols. The same is with the chief economists – PM Mishustin, Central Bank Governor Nabiullina, Minister Reshetnikov are even more silent than ever. In short, everyone has disappeared, even from the public protocol space," he said.
Only Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov remains active in trying to prove that if Russia does not kill peaceful Ukrainians, Europe "can plot something evil". Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, also continues to speak, repeating the mantra that the "special operation" is going according to plan.
"Intriguing silence," Podoliak added.
Shoigu disappeared from public view on March 11.