Where is Surovikin?

Novyevropa studied versions about the fate of the general, and where he can be now

In the media there are conflicting messages about cleaning in the Russian army, which followed the rebellion of the Wagner PMC. The Wall Street Journal writes that at least 13 high -ranking military, including Army General Sergei Surovikin, were questioned on suspicion of complicity in the preparation and implementation of the “march of justice”.

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Cleaning rows

“General Sergei Surovikin was detained and interrogated in Moscow,” reports The Wall Street Journal, “others are detained, removed from work or dismissed.” Sources of the publication say that at least 13 senior officers of the Russian Army were detained for interrogation after the rebellion of Evgeny Prigozhin. Among them was the commander of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation, who was cast by Russian troops in Ukraine Sergey Surovikin. The FSB began the detention a few hours after the start of the campaign for mercenaries to Moscow. “The detentions are explained by the cleaning of the ranks from those who are believed to be no longer trusted,” said one of the sources of the American newspaper. About 15 Russian officers were removed from service or fired, says WSJ.

According to WSJ sources, General Surovikin is in custody in Moscow, but is not placed in a pre -trial detention center. He was interrogated many times about the incoming campaign of PMCs to Moscow.

One of the interlocutors of the publication said that Surovikin knew about the plans of the rebellion, but did not participate in it. There were no official charges against Surovikin.

Sources claim that the commander of the VKS can be released as soon as Russian President Vladimir Putin decides how to respond to the consequences of the rebellion.

The Wall Street Journal writes that after the rebellion of Prigogine other senior military were detained. Among them-Deputy Surovikin, Colonel General Andrei Yudin and deputy chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseev. Alekseev has long -standing relations with the "Wagnerians", in military intelligence it was he who oversaw PMCs. These generals did not detain these generals, but limited their movements and established observation over them. Yudin and Alekseev, according to the publication, are removed from work. Colonel General Mikhail Misovtsev, who previously held the post of deputy minister of defense of the Russian Federation, was also detained and interrogated. Misovtsev is known as the Mariupol Butcher, as he led the assault on Mariupol, during which many civilians died. Since April 2023, the former colonel general moved to PMCs.

Vladimir Putin met with Evgeny Prigozhin himself and commanders of Wagner PMCs five days after the rebellion

And, as the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said, their conversation lasted three hours.

Sergei Surovikin did not appear in public in the morning of June 24, when he turned to the participants of Prigozhinsky campaign in Moscow demanding to stop. On June 28, The Moscow Times, referring to sources at the Ministry of Defense, wrote about the possible detention of Army General. Later, some Western media, such as The Financial Times , expressed such versions. The Bloomberg publication reported that the military prosecutor’s office had been interrogated by Surovikin several times about his ties with Prigozhin. At the same time, the general was limited in movement, but did not put them under arrest. Alexei Venediktov wrote in his telegram channel that Surovikin is on “official leave”. At the same time, the journalist notes, in early July, the general did not congratulate his wife and daughter on their birthdays.

On June 29, the daughter of Surovikin Veronica told the “base” that no one had arrested her father and he was in his workplace. On July 12, the Village publication published information according to which Surovikin was detained by counterintelligence. According to the interlocutor of the “layout”, Surovikin is isolated and does not get in touch with loved ones for more than two weeks. On the same day, the head of the State Duma Committee on Defense Andrei Kartapolov said that Surovikin "is resting for now, not available."

Consistent rebellion

At the same time, the New Gazeta has published a material today, which, among other things, states that the rebellion of the Wagner PMC and the capture of the mercenaries of Rostov-on-Don was originally adjusted by the authorities.

“Our interlocutors with significant information said unanimously: the original plan of the campaign of the columns of Wagner to Moscow was agreed,

- writes "New". - We risk saying that the rebellion is not a “crazy” Prigozhin, but a plan logically arising from previous actions of PMCs. The column of PMCs, imaginary from the control of the authorities, under the guise of a rebellion, was actually reduced to a place convenient for a tactical offensive. The story will soon tell us whether this was a trip to Moscow or preparing an attack on Kyiv from the Belarusian bridgehead under the full right of the state to say that PMCs are acting independently, relations with Wagner are terminated, the authorities are not responsible for their actions. ”

According to Novaya Gazeta, the plan was violated by downed helicopters and IL-22 aircraft and the death of pilots. This was not and could not be in plans. When the president learned about the death of crews and equipment, it was decided to interrupt the “To Justice” movement. The "rebellion" project was turned in just a few hours.

Also, the "New" reports that at present Sergey Surovikin is not under the control of special services. He is not arrested or detained. And now the general is “outside the reach of Russian law enforcement agencies, and it depends only on Surovikin whether he will return to their control or not”.

Not time for dismissal

“Judging by the comments that Vladimir Putin gave, following the meeting with the commanders of the Wagner PMC, he, by its tradition, is trying to measure everything that is happening by the framework of Russian legislation,” says Ilya Barabanov, a special correspondent for the Russian BBC Russian service. - There can be no demand for rebellion with PMCs, since there are no private military companies in Russian legislation. Another thing is that the activities of this unofficial structure were supervised and controlled by the Russian military, including the most high -ranking ranks. And after the incident of the emergency to these senior officers, the Department of Military Counterintelligence (DVKR) of the FSB could not have any questions. We do not know whether 13 generals were actually detained, about whom WSJ writes. But the fact that the military began to actively check is a fact.

Ilya Barabanov recalls that in May, after fleeing abroad, the Russian military helicopter Dmitry Mishov, DVKR investigators took four military pilots from the front for interrogations. Therefore, such the most important event as Prigozhinsky rebellion should, according to Barabanov, lead to mass investigative actions in the army.

“Whether the generals are detained or not, it is not known for certain,” says Barabanov. - But it is clear that they could ask from a large number of commanders of various significance. After some time, we will find out what decisions were made following these conversations.

The sources of Novo-Europe in the Russian Armed Forces report that interrogations were carried out against dozens, and probably hundreds of officers from the senior and senior commanding staff.

“Surovikina, Minitsev and Alekseev was interrogated because of their close connection with Prigozhin,” explains our interlocutor in the Russian army.

- Surovikina, as far as I know, was released on all four sides. There should be no complaints about him. In the end, the only military who tried to stop the columns of the “Wagnerians” and the dead at the same time obeyed Surovikin.

Vladimir Alekseev, with whom Prigozhin chatted sweetly in the courtyard of the headquarters of the Southern Military District, who was captured in Rostov-on-Don, for many years oversaw of PMCs through military intelligence. It was on the bases of the GRU that a set and training of mercenaries was carried out. So formally claims may arise to Alekseev. But so far, as I understand it, he is only kept under a subscription about a lower way. According to information inside the Ministry of Defense, for the rest of the possible accomplices of the so -called rebellion, there are also no decisions on punishments. I do not think that someone will be planted or fired. Now is not the time to lose military leaders. They can be frightened by resignation or other sanctions, but in the end, most likely, they will be launched on the brakes.