Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shows mushrooms to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu during his vacation in the remote Tuva region in southern Siberia, in August 2017.
Alexey Nikolsky/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images
Russia's Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu, is a close ally and friend of Vladimir Putin.
He had a steady ascent through Russia's elite, and was considered a possible Putin successor.
But as Russia's invasion of Ukraine faltered and stalled, he became a lightning rod for criticism.
This is Sergei Shoigu, Russian President Vladimir Putin's right-hand man.Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu.
