Translated material
Schrödinger commander
Instead of General Surovikin, General Afzalov was appointed the head of the military-space forces. Where Surovikin is incomprehensible, but Afzalov may not stay in position
Sergey Surovikin. Photo: Kremlin's site
The fact that Sergey Surovikin lost his position was reported by many Russian media and bloggers. The former editor-in-chief of Echo of Moscow, Alexei Venediktov, wrote in his telegram channel that according to the presidential decree, Sergei Surovikin was dismissed from the post of commander of the air cosmic forces, but at the same time remains at the disposal of the Ministry of Defense. Officially, such a decree was not published.
Ksenia Sobchak said in her telegram channel that Surovikin was relieved of his post as a closed decree on August 18. And she added that the family still has no connection with him. “Army General Sergei Surovikin was dismissed from his position in connection with the transition to another job,” sources familiar with the situation told RBC. “Currently, he is on short -term vacation.”
Real anti -aircraft gunner
RIA Novosti federal news agency, citing an informed source, reported that General Viktor Afzalov, the chief of the Chief Cultural Staff of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was appointed temporarily acting commander of the Russian Air Force. “The ex-head of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Sergei Surovikin, has currently been dismissed, temporarily acted by the chief of the Chief Council of the VKS, Colonel General Viktor Afzalov,” RIA Novosti quotes his interlocutor. According to the agency, Afzalov was already in the status of the acting Commander -in -Chief of the VKS , when Surovikin commanded the united group of troops in the zone of a special military operation. The media also called Afzalov the acting commander of the VKS in 2020 (in connection with the parade in Moscow).
According to media reports , Viktor Afzalov was born in 1968. RIA Novosti publishes information according to which Colonel General is a graduate of the Pushkin Higher Military School of Air Defense Radio Electronics. In 2000 he graduated from the Military University of Air Defense, in 2010-the Military Academy of the General Staff. He went through posts from the head of the calculation of the Bart Administration of the Group of Air Force Air Defense Corps to the chief of staff - the first deputy commander of the Air Force and Air Defense Army. In July 2017, he was appointed commander of the Army of the Air Force and Air Defense of the Eastern Military District, in August 2018 he received the position of chief of the General Staff of the Russian Air Force. On December 7, 2022, Vladimir Putin assigned Afzalov the title of Colonel General.
Armageddon passed Kherson
Sergey Surovikin, who received during the command of the Russian grouping of troops in Syria the nickname “Armageddon General,” was appointed by order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergey Shoigu the commander of the united group of troops in Ukraine. Until this moment, there was not even information about the existence of such a position.
Surovikin’s command was remembered by “difficult decisions” for the surrender of Kherson and regular missile shelling of the energy infrastructure of Ukraine.
Then the Kremlin failed to achieve its goal and completely leave the warring country without electricity and water supply. On January 11, 2023, Surovikina at this post was replaced by the head of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. Surovikin became Deputy Gerasimov.
Sergei Surovikin was very appreciated and often publicly praised by the head of the Wagner PMC Evgeny Prigozhin. After the beginning of Prigozhinsky, Sergey Surovikin became the first senior military leader who called for stopping the rebellion, stop the columns moving towards Moscow and solve issues peacefully. Despite this, soon rumors crawled about the disappearance of Surovikin, who had not appeared in a public field from June 24.
First, on June 28, Vladimir Romanov wrote in his telegram channel that Surovikin was detained. “Yesterday, the deputy commander of the united group of troops (forces), Army General Sergei Surovikin, was“ taken ”to Lefortovo,” said Romanov. - UPD: He was taken on 06/25/2023. "
The topic was picked up by the media. “General Sergei Surovikin was arrested by the deputy commander of the united grouping of Russian troops in Ukraine,” said The Moscow Times. - This information was reported by two sources close to the Ministry of Defense. Officially, the department did not comment on this information. ” Next, The Moscow Times quotes its source: “There will be news in the context of Prigozhin. Apparently, he [Surovikin] chose the side [Prigozhin during the rebellion], and he was grabbed by the eggs. ”
The New Gazeta Europe also wrote about the loss of Sergei Surovikin. Among other things, our sources reported that Generals Surovikin, Minitsev and Alekseev were interrogated due to their close connection with Prigozhin.
“As far as I know, Surovikina was released on all four sides,” our source said in July. - 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. ”
Heavenly problems
“In fact, it is Viktor Musavirovich Afzalov that has been leading the entire VKS system for many years,” a military pilot in reserve tells the New Evrope, who is familiar with the situation in the airborne troops. - Sergey Surovikin is a former motorized steamer. Having become a general, he began to think strategically. He is bored to lead the VKS. For him, his favorite toy. For example, it was Surovikin that belonged to the idea of shelling critical infrastructure objects in Ukraine. In airplanes and in the aircraft or missile defense, he understands very approximately, not to mention the cosmos. Now they will talk about the fact that he was removed for friendship with Prigozhin. But there are enough reasons. Russian air defense does not cope with combat missions. Drinking drones fly to Moscow every other day. The Air Force cannot “close” the sky even at the front line. That is why the Armed Forces of Ukraine have the opportunity to launch Storm Shadow winged missiles from aircraft. ”
According to our interlocutor, having received the right number of F-16 fighters, Ukraine will be able to begin to dominate the sky over the front line eventually. At a minimum, the Armed Forces will not allow Russian helicopters to the advanced, very effectively counteracting the Ukrainian offensive. But today the Russian Federation cannot boast of serious support from the air of combat units.
“Since in all the problems of the VKS, a considerable part of the fault lies with Afzalov, it may not be approved as the commander,” our interlocutor suggests. -They will appoint someone else. The main thing is not to a tankman or submariner. ”