Shoigu, savagely criticised by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin until the latter was killed in a plane crash in August, has been shown several times this month in televised clips designed to project confidence about the state of Russia's war inside Ukraine. Ukraine in June undertook a counteroffensive, capturing villages in the east and south, but at a much slower pace than its rapid advance through the northeast a year ago. Ukraine says Russian forces in recent days have been pounding the eastern city of Avdiivka but have sustained heavy losses.