Another angle: Shoigu positions himself as a successor
Sorry, but soft power is not a part of the Russian tradition There is another angle in understanding and interpreting the recent events, from the point of view on internal Russian politics and exacerbating power struggle between the bulldogs under the Kremlin's heavy and dusty rugs . No hockey matches and vigorous exercises in Sochi gym can hide the fact: Putin's physical (which is a separate issue of its own) and political (eroded by sanctions, oil price, ruble, etc.) health is failing and the issue of succession becomes the pivotal one. The source of Putin's political strength and power is in his Godfather's ability to maintain a careful balance (on which his own political survival depends) between the competing factions of Russian ruling elites: the so called "siloviki" - military and security players (Shoigu, Patrushev, Bortnikov, Fradkov and others) and "civiliki" - civilian elites, relatively moderate and pro-Western technocrats - Medve
