Putin dismisses General Surovikin as commander of Russian Aerospace Forces
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has dismissed General Sergei Surovikin as commander of Russia’s Aerospace Forces. Media reports say Surovikin was detained by Russian counterintelligence in connection with the rebellion led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is known to be linked to the general.
Source: Russian news agency Meduza; Radio Liberty, citing Alexei Venediktov, former Editor-in-Chief of the radio station Echo of Moscow; RBC
Details: The journalists say Putin's decree [ordering Surovikin’s dismissal] also states that Surovikin will remain at the disposal of the Russian Ministry of Defence. The decree has not been officially published.
RBC’s source confirmed the news of Surovikin's dismissal. "Army General Sergei Surovikin has been relieved of his post due to his move to another job and is at the disposal [of the Ministry of Defence – ed.]... He is currently on short-term leave," one of the sources said.
Background:
- Surovikin headed the command of the Russian Aerospace Forces from 31 October 2017. He commanded the joint group of Russian troops in Ukraine between October 2022 and January 2023 and served as its deputy commander from 11 January 2023.
- During the Wagner Group rebellion on 23-24 June 2023, Surovikin recorded a video message to the mercenaries urging them to return to their places of deployment. He has not appeared in public since then.
- The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reported on 13 July that the Russian secret service had detained at least 13 high-ranking military officers, including General Sergei Surovikin, in connection with Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny; 15 officers were suspended or fired.
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