Did Wagner boss Prigozhin think he had supporters within the Russian military? As the “New York Times” reports, citing US government circles, a high-ranking general is said to have known about the uprising plans.
According to a US newspaper report, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Russian invasion troops in Ukraine, Sergei Surovikin, is said to have known in advance about the uprising of the Wagner mercenary group. The “New York Times” reported, citing US government circles, that the government in Washington is now trying to find out whether Surovikin supported Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin in planning the rebellion.
According to information from US secret services, there are also indications that other Russian generals may have supported Prigozhin. According to this, the prevailing opinion in US government circles is that Prigozhin would not have instigated the uprising if he had not been sure of the support of the military ranks.
Surovikin asked Prigozhin to surrender
Air Force General Surovikin was appointed commander-in-chief of the Russian troops in the Ukraine war in October before he was replaced by Chief of Staff Valeri Gerasimov in January after criticism of military setbacks and demoted to his deputy.
According to Prigozhin on his Telegram channel in May of this year, Surovikin was responsible for coordinating the mercenaries with the regular Russian units in Ukraine – “the only person with a general’s star who knows anything about fighting,” was Prigozhin’s assessment at the time.
During the armed Wagner uprising on Saturday, Surovikin sided with the power apparatus in Moscow and called on Prigozhin in a video message to end the power struggle: “The enemy is just waiting for the domestic political situation to deteriorate here.” he said.
Prigozhin and his mercenaries were granted impunity by President Vladimir Putin after an agreement was reached to end the uprising. He is now in exile in Belarus.