Russian authorities arrested General Sergei Surovikin following the Wagner mercenary group's failed mutiny against Moscow as President Vladimir Putin conducts efforts to crack down on dissent.
The arrest of Surovikin was announced by the Moscow Times' Russian service on Wednesday, where it cited two sources close to the Defense Ministry who spoke anonymously. The ministry has yet to comment regarding the supposed arrest of the general, who has not been seen out in public since Saturday when Wagner staged its rebellion.
Russian Authorities Arrest General Sergei Surovikin
One of the two sources said that the current situation with Surovikin was not "OK," adding that he could not reveal any further details to authorities. The second source said that the arrest of the Russian general was carried out "in the context of Prigozhin."
They noted that Surovijin allegedly chose the Wagner group leader's side during the rebellion, which caused him to be in the crosshairs of the Kremlin. When asked about the current whereabouts of the Russian general, the source said they are not commenting on that information through internal channels, as per The Moscow Times.
On Wednesday, a pro-war military blogger, Vladimir Romanov, said that Surovikin was detained on Sunday, a day after Yevgeny Prigozhin's failed rebellion. Romanov said that the Russian general was being held in Moscow's Lefortovo detention center but did not provide any evidence of his claims.
The editor-in-chief of the shuttered Ekho Moskvy radio station, Alexei Venediktov, said in a Telegram post that Surovikin has not been in contact with his family for three days, adding that the general's guards were not responsive.
Reports on Tuesday, citing unnamed United States officials, noted that the Russian general knew of the Wagner leader's plan to instigate a mutiny against Moscow's military leadership.
Surovikin allegedly was not "particularly obedient" when he was given the task of reading the text on camera and acting out, and he was too rude to the leadership of Russia. According to Yahoo News, one of the sources argued that this could have given the impression that he was a part of Prigozhin's coalition.
Vladimir Putin Asserts Authority
American authorities are now trying to determine whether or not the Russian general had assisted Prigozhin's failed coup attempt. On Saturday, Surovikin shot a video condemning the Wagner group's rebellion and urged soldiers to stop their mutiny.
Putin also acknowledged the deaths of Russian pilots due to the failed Wagner rebellion, but he did not make any high-profile statements regarding the matter. He also met with heads of law enforcement agencies, thanking them for their success in suppressing the mutiny. He also thanked Wagner soldiers for not resorting to "fratricidal bloodshed."
The situation comes as several of Russia's most senior generals have stepped out of the spotlight as Putin tries to reassert his authority. Russia's top general, Valery Gerasimov, has not been publicly seen or on state TV since the failed Wagner rebellion. The 67-year-old is known as the commander of Moscow's war in Ukraine, said Reuters.
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