Is it time to worry? Or is there a simple reason for the absence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov from the most recent meeting of Vladimir Putin’s Security Council, and the cancellation of his scheduled attendance at the upcoming G20 session in Johannesburg, South Africa?

Lavrov was the only permanent member of the Security Council to miss the meeting on Wednesday, November 5th — the day after Putin had signed a decree appointing a more junior official — economist and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Maksim Oreshkin — to head the delegation to the G20.

There could, of course, be any number of reasons for his absence. He might have been assigned a task by Putin that would take him elsewhere for a while; he might, at age 75, have been taken ill; or — as anyone familiar with Russian history and political intrigues would be likely to suspect — there might be some major changes underway in the Kremlin hierarchy.

At least that was the rumor circulating around Moscow on Wednesday when the daily business publication Kommersant noted the two coinciding events, citing “informed sources” who reported that Lavrov “was absent by agreement” from the Security Council meeting. [Nathan Hodge, CNN, November 7, 2025.]

Was this Kremlin-speak for “it’s no one’s business”? In true Soviet style, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attempted to dispel the rumors by telling reporters on Friday:

“There is no truth to these reports whatsoever. Lavrov continues to serve as foreign minister, of course.” [Id.]

And Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Lavrov was still on the job, but confirmed that he had indeed missed Wednesday’s meeting, adding: “ . . . but that happens.” [Id.]

Well, no . . . it doesn’t just happen. Not in Moscow, at any rate. Or not without a very good reason.

First, there has been speculation that Lavrov may have fallen into disfavor when his phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month failed to produce a plan for an in-person summit in Budapest between Putin and Donald Trump to discuss a solution to the war in Ukraine.

But there are also recent photographs of Lavrov in which he has been looking very tired, and not at all healthy.

And if the answer to the riddle is something much simpler and more benign than either of those two possibilities, then why hasn’t he shown his face to allay suspicions?

Whatever the reason, Moscow is keeping silent for the time being, which is standard procedure when there is a problem to which they’re still working out a solution. It’s sort of a Kremlin mantra:

“Always keep ‘em guessing.”

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
11/9/25