Who is Gen Sergei Surovikin? Missing Russian general's link with Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin explored in wake of mutiny allegation

On Saturday, June 24, Russian general Sergei Surovikin was last seen by the public. The general's absence within the media sphere has led to speculation that he may be under investigation. According to the Guardian, American intelligence sources believe that Surovikin may have known that Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was planning an uprising.

Surovikin has been accused by American news sources of failing to report the possibility of rebellion to other government officials.

Trigger warning: This article concerns warfare and gun violence, the reader's discretion is advised.

The disappearance of general Sergei Surovikin came in the wake of the June 23 Wagner group rebellion. Wagner Russian paramilitary soldiers, commanded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, took over the city of Rostov-on-Don before attempting to advance towards Moscow.

Deutsche Welle reported that the Wagner forces engaged in combat with Russian military soldiers, leading to somewhere between 13-20 deaths, including that of two Wagner soldiers.

As per Prigozhin, the rebellion was provoked by supposed attacks on his personnel by members of Russian military forces. The Russian military, however, has denied any involvement.

While speculation has risen surrounding Sergei Surovikin's alleged involvement or complicity in the attack, his role has not yet been confirmed.

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Sergei Surovikin was the commander of all Russian forces in the Russia-Ukraine war

As reported by BBC, Sergei Surovikin is a 56-year-old Russian army general who also acts as the Commander of the Aerospace Forces. After graduating from the Omsk Higher Military Command School in 1987, he served in several wars, including the Soviet–Afghan War, Tajikistani Civil War, Second Chechen War, and the Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war.

He was also the commander of all Russian forces in the Russia-Ukraine war from October 2022 to January 2023.

NBC noted that on January 11, 2023, Sergei Surovikin was replaced by Valery Gerasimov as the commander of all Russian forces in Ukraine. On Friday, June 23, he publicly spoke out against the Wagner group's revolt.

Surovikin said:

“We fought together with you, took risks, we won together. We are of the same blood, we are warriors. I urge you to stop. The enemy is just waiting for the internal political situation to escalate in our country.”

Lawrence Freedman, an emeritus professor of war studies at King's College London, told Guardian reporters that he does not personally believe that General Surovikin was directly engaged in the revolt.

However, he did believe that the general may have had differences with Geramisov, the official who replaced him as the head of Russian troops in Ukraine.

Freedman said:

“We know there are divisions about how the war is being fought and I suspect Surovikin shares the contempt for the amateurishness of Shoigu and Gerasimov."

Professor Freedman continued:

"It all depends on what you think Prigozhin was trying to achieve. Surovikin might have been keen on change in higher command but he would not want to have been involved in a coup – which I don’t think was Prigozhin’s original intention either.”

Professor Freedman added that at the time of the revolt, General Surovikin was most likely in Rostov-on-Don. However, other US military analysts told Sky News that Wagner during the rebellion, Wagner troops technically fought troops loyal to General Surovikin. The military leader's whereabouts are currently unknown.