One of Vladimir Putin's generals has reportedly vanished after claims he was in on the Wagner Group's armed revolt.
General Sergey Surovikin has known links with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the army chief behind Saturday's rebellion.
US officials claim Surovikin had advance knowledge of the rebel against Shoigu and chief of the armed forces General Valery Gerasimov over the dismal war in Ukraine.
Intelligence officials are thought to be probing whether Russian commander "helped plan Prigozhin's actions last weekend".
General Sergey Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russia's military operations in Ukraine, had advance knowledge that the mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was planning a rebellion
Reuters
There are said to be signs that other Russian generals may have also supported the Wagner boss, according to American officials.
Surovikin, 56 could be under interrogation over his knowledge of the plot to drive out Russia's top military leaders.
The Pro-war Rybar Telegram channel said Surovikin has not been seen since Saturday.
The military-linked channel said: "The whereabouts of ‘General Armageddon’ is not known for certain.
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"There is a version that he is under interrogation."
Before disappearing, Surovikin issued a call to Wagner fighters to give up and return "before it is too late".
At the time, he said: "We cannot play into the enemy’s hands during this hard time for our country.
"Before it is not too late, it is necessary to obey the order of the popularly-elected president of the Russian Federation."
Yevgeny Prigozhin's mercenary group turned back to their bases on Saturday after agreeing to de-escalate the rebellion to 'avoid bloodshed'ReutersThe Kremlin admitted there would be "a lot of speculation" in the aftermath of the events.
In October last year, Surovikin took on the leading the Russian invasion but was stripped of the responsibility by Putin in January.
It was claimed that Surovikin and Prigozhin were plotting a coup against Putin just one month later.
A leaked document allegedly said Prigozhin would use the army of convicts to achieve a breakthrough in the war.
Zelensky's closest adviser, Andriy Yermak, said the "countdown has started" for the end of Putin's time in power.