Sergei Surovikin. Photo: Russian media
UK intelligence has learned that Russian General Sergei Surovikin who has not been seen in public for many months is likely in Algeria.
Source: UK Defence Intelligence update dated 27 May on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda
Details: The update relays reports from the Russian media that General Surovikin was spotted in a photo from the Russian Embassy in Algeria, taken during Victory Day events on 9 May, where he appeared in the role of “head of a group of Russian military specialists”. [Victory Day is a Russian holiday commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945 – ed.]
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This is one of Surovikin’s first public appearances since Yevgeny Prigozhin’s failed mutiny in 2023. [Prigozhin was the financier of the Wagner Private Military Company. He led a failed mutiny in June 2023, during which he accused Russia’s military leadership of betraying Wagner fighters and briefly advanced towards Moscow before standing down after negotiations – ed.]
Surovikin previously commanded the Russian Group of Forces in the war against Ukraine and later headed the Russian Aerospace Forces. He was known to be close to Prigozhin, notably due to involvement in operations in Syria.
Quote from UK intelligence: “Reports of Surovikin’s arrest and detention in relation to the June 2023 Wagner Group mutiny were not publicly confirmed. The Russian Ministry of Defence (MOD) did not officially announce Surovikin’s resignation. However, in September 2023, references to him were reportedly removed from the Russian MOD’s website.”
Details: Analysts suggest that the Kremlin has viewed Surovikin with suspicion due to his long-standing ties to the Wagner Group dating back to the Syrian campaign.
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