Defense Ministry stays quiet as sources unveil Surovikin's arrest after Wagner PMC mutiny, reports The Moscow Times
Sergei Surovikin, the Commander-in-Chief of Russia’s Aerospace Forces and Deputy Commander of the Russian grouping in Ukraine, has been arrested, according to a report by the The Moscow Times citing two sources close to the Defense Ministry. The Defense Ministry has not responded to the report.
“The story with him wasn't 'OK,' for the authorities. I can't say anything else,” commented one source on the reason for the arrest.
The second source said that Surovikin was arrested in light of the recent armed rebellion raised by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his fighters from the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC). The source assumes that Surovikin had chosen the side of Prigozhin, and was then “grabbed by the balls” [direct quote — The Insider]. When asked where the general is now, the source replied: “That information isn’t commented on even through internal channels.”
The initial report of Surovikin's potential arrest surfaced on Vladimir Romanov's Telegram channel, a propaganda blogger. According to Romanov, Surovikin was arrested on June 25, the day following the Wagner PMC mutiny. Romanov asserts that Surovikin is being held at Moscow's «Lefortovo» pre-trial detention center. However, the source of Romanov's information remains undisclosed.
The sources pointed out that it is not entirely clear whether Surovikin was aware of Prigozhin's mutiny.
“He did not behave particularly obediently when he was tasked to read the text on camera and take part in resolving the situation. He was too insolent to the leadership. This may have given the impression that Surovikin was part of the ‘Prigozhin coalition,’” the source emphasizes.
On June 28, The New York Times, citing US officials familiar with intelligence reports, reported that Surovikin knew about Prigozhin's plans to rebel against Russia's military leadership in advance. US authorities are now trying to find out whether Surovikin had any involvement in the rebellion plan.
On June 23, Prigozhin claimed that the Russian Defense Ministry carried out missile strikes on the Wagner PMC’s rear camps. He promised to respond to the strike, which, in his words, “resulted in the death of many soldiers,” and “to deal with those who destroy Russian soldiers.” Prigozhin’s forces then occupied Rostov-on-Don, a major city in southern Russia, and attempted to reach Moscow, stopping several hundreds of kilometers short after Prigozhin was allegedly offered a deal by Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus guaranteeing his personal safety and that of his soldiers. During the revolt, Surovikin appealed to the Wagner PMC mercenaries, advising them against escalating the internal political situation.