On the evening of June 28, war correspondent Vladimir Romanov posted a message on his Telegram channel, in which he said that General Sergei Surovikin, deputy commander of the United Group of Russian Forces in Ukraine, would be on June 25 “removedin the Moscow remand center “Lefortovo”. However, this information raised doubts among other military correspondents interviewed by Russian media.
Romanov’s publication came amid publication by the New York Times, which, citing US officials familiar with intelligence, reported that Surovikin allegedly “knew in advance of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plans to rebel against the leaders soldiers of Russia” and therefore urged the “Wagnerians” to stop. At the same time, the newspaper claims, other Russian generals may support the businessman.
Press Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation / TASS
The Russian President’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov, commenting on this information, called it an example of “speculation and rumors”, which “now there will be a lot around these events”.
Former Minister of Defense of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Igor Strelkov, commenting on the post of military commander Romanov, recalled that “the main figures of the rebellion are all free and quietly moving”, and the PMC ” Wagner” continues to operate.
“Why put someone in prison? It’s not very logical, to say the least. Although if they suspect that he led the plot, then anything can be. He (Surovikin), of course, is very ambitious, very ambitious, as his colleagues told me, but I don’t think he himself would be engaged in rebellions. But who knows,” he concluded.
The absence of any information about Surovikin’s fate was reported by Russian media and war correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny. “I am not the Attorney General’s Office or the FSB. And I don’t want to spread rumours, assumptions. Peskov once asked about Surovikin. So I cannot comment in any way,” he said.
Commentary on Surovikin Rumors published and the telegram channel “Operation Z: ”. Referring to their data, the authors of the channel claim that the information about the general’s arrest is not true.
“But among the military leaders, investigative actions are underway, who had close ties with E. Prigogine, are being questioned by investigators for their possible participation in the rebellion. The procedure is completely understandable, it is not a kind of large-scale activation of the machine of repression,” explains the channel.
The fact that General Surovikin “disappeared from the radar” during his June 28 briefing on the SolovievLive channel said the author of the Rybar Telegram Channel Mikhail Zvinchuk. He pointed out that Ukrainian and Western media resources, exaggerating this topic, “try to drive a wedge between generals and military leaders” and “disparage Surovikin”, taking advantage of the fact that “some procedures are underway” after the rebellion .
Vadim Savitsky / RF Defense Ministry Press Service / TASS
The author of Rybar recalled that the general led the regrouping of the Russian armed forces in the zone of military operations in Ukraine at a time “when the most difficult decisions were made”, including partial mobilization, “came and began to systematically restore order.”
Zvinchuk added that other military leaders “may have complaints” against Surovikin, but should be seen as the flip side, as “every act can be portrayed in one way or another.”
“Fighters trust him, he enjoys great respect,” noted the “Rybar” author, calling Surovikin a “tactical and strategic genius” who developed the “Bakhmut Meat Grinder” storyline.
Surovikin’s deputy – Colonel General Andrey Yudin – commented Ura.ru rumors spread through pro-military telegram channels that he was “taken” to the remand center together with the boss. “I’m on vacation. Home,” he said.
Vladimir Romanov, who started the rumor about Surovikin’s arrest, writingthat “no one said anything at all about Yudin”, and that he was allegedly “trained to blur the issue”.
“At the same time, he even answered Surovikin, to put it mildly, cautiously. The acceleration of the message, of course, also smiles. But the truth is not so fun…” — said in the last post of Romanov.
How the conflict between Prigozhin and the Ministry of Defense developed. Chronology
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