Russian invasion
Media: Senior Russian General Surovikin deposed
Was considered one of the most important allies of mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in the regular Russian army in his power struggle with Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov: Sergei Surovikin. photo
© -/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service/AP/dpa
He was considered one of the most important allies of mercenary chief Prigozhin in the Russian army. Now a general is said to have lost his post – a move that has been widely criticized online.
The one in the war against them According to the media, Ukraine’s key head of the Russian aerospace troops, General Sergei Surovikin, has been relieved of his post two months after the uprising of the Wagner mercenary group.
The former editor-in-chief of the dissolved liberal radio station Echo Moskvy, Alexey Venediktov, wrote on his Telegram channel on Tuesday, citing an official decree, that Surovikin will be deposed, but will remain under the disposal of the Ministry of Defense. The decree itself was not initially published, although several nationalist Russian military blogs reported on Surovikin’s replacement.
From October 2022 to January 2023, Surovikin was the supreme commander of Russian units in Ukraine. In the fall, he ordered the occupation troops to withdraw from the southern Ukrainian city of Cherson.
No public appearances for months
At the same time, Surovikin was considered one of the most important allies of mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in the regular Russian army in his power struggle with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov. Although Surovikin publicly condemned the uprising of Prigozhin’s Wagner troupe at the end of June, according to political observers he was subsequently sidelined.
He did not appear in public for several months. The influential military blogger Rybar judged that the current replacement as chief of the aerospace troops is by no means surprising. “In the current situation, it is bad that the commanders who are popular with the soldiers are resigning, being replaced or being sent on permanent leave,” Rybar said.
For 18 months, Russia has been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine. The leadership chaos in Moscow and power struggles within the Russian military have probably also meant that the Kremlin has not yet achieved its goals with the invasion.