Mystery as Putin's underfire defence minister Sergei Shoigu is seen limping through palace hall

Vladimir Putin's underfire defence minister Sergei Shoigu was seen limping through a palace hall in Belarus today, months after the Kremlin denied that he had suffered a heart attack.

The Russian defence minister — notionally in charge of Russia's invasion of Ukraine — was seen limping in the Palace of Independence in Minsk, with his right hand in his pocket. 

No explanation was immediately given for his condition.

He was joining Putin in Minsk, where the president made his first visit in three years to 'close ally', Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko.

The Russian leader — himself rumoured to have health problems — gave a little jump as he came down the stairways from his plane where he was greeted with bread and flowers by two women before meeting Lukashenko. 

Vladimir Putin's underfire defence minister Sergei Shoigu was seen limping through a palace hall in Belarus today

Shoigu walked past cameras with his right hand in his pocket in Palace of Independence in Minsk

A security official with Putin appeared to be carrying a body armour briefcase.  Reports say that the president is constantly accompanied by cancer doctors when he travels.

The Russian leader was also joined on the visit by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. 

Putin's visit for talks with the Belarusian President will focus on deepening his ties with Belarus at a time when his army is struggling in its invasion of Ukraine. 

The Kremlin has for years sought to deepen integration with Belarus, which relies on Moscow for cheap oil and loans, but Lukashenko has so far resisted outright unification with Russia despite being a key ally in the war.

In April, rumours started to swirl about Shoigu when he appeared to go missing, with some suggesting that the General had suffered a 'massive heart attack' — a claim later denied by the Kremlin.

Some sources said that he had been sidelined by the president over Russia's war failures, while a leading Putin foe claimed he had a heart attack that was not from natural causes.

Exiled business tycoon and Putin foe Leonid Nevzlin, 62, claimed Shogun was 'out of the game' after suffering a 'massive heart attack'.

In April, mystery surrounded Shoigu when some suggested he had suffered a 'massive heart attack' — a claim denied by the Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin today met dictator Alexander Lukashenko during a rare visit to Belarus

'He is in intensive care, connected to devices,' he claimed at the time, citing his own sources in Moscow at the time.

More reports said Putin ordered him to operate from a nuclear bunker in the Urals.

Earlier this year, there were also claims that Shoigu was being 'side-lined' by Putin and was being constantly mocked by his own soldiers, the British ministry of defence revealed.

The MoD said in August that the veteran politician who has held the defence post for 10 years was no longer the confidant and ally he previously was to the leader.

Russia's failures in Ukraine after sustaining huge losses to personnel and equipment without making major inroads into the country led to his ousting from Putin's inner circle.

In August the MoD said the veteran politician who has held the defence post for 10 years is no longer the confidant and ally he previously was to the leader

The head of the Russian military was no longer briefing Putin directly, with the Russian leader instead being updated by operational commanders, the report said. 

The MoD said on August 29: 'Recent independent Russian media reports have claimed that due to the problems Russia is facing in its war against Ukraine, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu is now being side-lined within the Russian leadership, with operational commanders briefing President Putin directly on the course of the war.

'Russian officers and soldiers with first-hand experience of the war probably routinely ridicule Shoigu for his ineffectual and out-of-touch leadership as Russian progress has stalled.

'Shoigu has likely long struggled to overcome his reputation as lacking substantive military experience, as he spent most of his career in the construction sector and the Ministry of Emergency Situations.'

Shoigu, whose mother is Ukrainian-born, worked in construction before becoming a minor functionary in his regional Communist branch.

He was then appointed deputy chairman of the State Architecture and Construction Committee of the Russian Federation and later became minister of emergency situations in 1991, earning him the honorary title of general.

He became defence minister in 2012 and along with Sergei Lavrov, has long been considered a trusted Putin lapdog.