The Kremlin said Thursday that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was too busy for public appearances, as his absence from view for nearly two weeks prompted questions from journalists.

Shoigu, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, reportedly last appeared in public on March 11 despite his leading role in Russia's military operation in Ukraine.

Some Russian media reports have speculated that he could have health problems.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov sought to quell such rumours however, telling journalists: "The defence minister has a lot to take care of at the moment. There is a special military operation going on.

"This is not the moment for media activity," he added.

The Kremlin said Thursday that Shoigu had informed Putin of the latest developments in Ukraine.

Later Thursday, the Russian defence ministry announced a telephone conversation between Shoigu and his Armenian counterpart Suren Papikian.

The two men "discussed the current situation in the region and the areas where Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh are carrying out their tasks", the ministry said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh region has been feuded over by ex-Soviet states Azerbaijan and Armenia since Armenian separatists seized the territory in a war in the early 1990s.

The defence minister, 66, usually features regularly on state television broadcasts and has been filmed going on expeditions into the Siberian wilderness with Putin.

Russian officials' absences often prompt rumours of illness, due to the fact that the authorities are reluctant to release such information even if true.

Rumours have swirled on several occasions when Putin has disappeared from public view for a week or more.

"We would be bored if there were no rumours," he said in 2015 after a 10-day absence.

Battleground Ukraine: Day 29 of Russia's invasion
Paris (AFP) March 24, 2022 - Russia's military campaign in Ukraine showed little progress on the 29th day of the assault on Thursday, with some Ukrainian battlefield gains reported.

Here is a summary of the situation on the ground, based on statements from both sides, Western defence and intelligence sources, and international organisations.

- The east -

Russian strikes on the eastern city of Kharkiv killed at least six civilians and wounded more than a dozen others near a post office.

Russia has heavily bombed the mostly encircled city after attempts to capture it were thwarted.

That city would be a key link in the chain if Russia aims -- as many analysts believe -- to encircle Ukrainian forces in the country's east.

- Kyiv and the north -

There have been several reports of Ukrainian counterattacks against Russian forces on the outskirts of Kyiv.

British military intelligence and US sources say Ukraine is driving back Russian forces from the northwestern approach to the city.

French military sources said the Russian military, now around 30 to 45 kilometres (18-27 miles) from the capital, had shown some key vulnerabilities.

In particular, the Russian army appeared to have difficulties defending its support lines to the north of the capital against Ukrainian attacks, they said.

The British defence ministry reported the battlefield across northern Ukraine as "largely static," but a possible regrouping of the Russian army could allow a resumption of "large-scale offensive operations."

A US official said that Russians were building defensive positions around the capital rather than seeking to advance.

Chernigiv, to the east of the capital, is encircled by Russian troops.

British intelligence said Ukrainians had "probably retaken Makariv and Moschun" near Kyiv, and might be able to encircle Russian units in Bucha and Irpin.

- The south -

Russia continued its siege of the port city of Mariupol, a key Russian target to link up the annexed Crimea and separatist-controlled Donbas regions.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the city has nearly 100,000 people living without water, food or power.

Ukraine's navy said it had struck a Russian naval transport vessel docked in the Azov Sea near Mariupol.

A US official said NATO members are discussing sending anti-ship missiles to help Ukraine defend its Black Sea ports from naval attack, in particular to protect its key export hub Odessa.

- The west and centre -

French military sources reported "major movement" towards Dnipro with bombings near the city, notably in the northwest and northeast.

The west of Ukraine, including the region's main city of Lviv, is still far from the ground offensive but has been the target of air strikes.

- Casualties -

Moscow has given no toll for casualties among its armed forces since announcing on March 2 that 498 troops had been killed.

Ukraine claims that around 15,800 Russian soldiers have been killed.

This tallies with Western estimates, with some reports quoting NATO officials as saying that the total number of Russian soldiers who are dead, wounded, missing or otherwise out of action was estimated at up to 40,000.

British intelligence says Russia will seek to replace its "considerable losses" with reservist and conscript units as well as private military companies and foreign mercenary troops.

Kyiv has also not given an update on the number of Ukrainian soldiers killed since Zelensky announced a week ago that around 1,300 were dead.

According to the office for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, at least 953 civilians have been confirmed killed in Ukraine, including 78 children. It warns this is likely an underestimate.

At least four people including two children were killed in Russian strikes in eastern Ukraine, the local governor said, alleging the use of phosphorus bombs by the Russians.

- Refugees -

More than 3.6 million refugees have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion, with more than two million of them heading to neighbouring Poland, according to the United Nations.

A total of 10 million are believed to have fled their homes, according to the world body, representing over a quarter of the population in regions under government control.

UN children's agency Unicef said 4.3 million children -- more than half of Ukraine's estimated child population of 7.5 million -- have been displaced since the start of the war.

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China calls NATO claims of backing Russia 'disinformation'
Beijing (AFP) March 24, 2022
Beijing on Thursday accused the NATO chief of "spreading disinformation" with claims that China has backed Russia's war against Ukraine, amid growing international pressure to distance itself from Moscow. China has refused to condemn close ally Russia over the bloody invasion of Ukraine and lagged behind many other countries in providing humanitarian aid to the war-stricken country. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday accused China of giving political backing to Russia as it inv ... read more