A photograph of Sergei Surovikin, a Russian general whose whereabouts remained uncertain since a Wagner mercenary group’s rebellion in June, has surfaced on social media. Surovikin, known for his close bonds with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the deceased Wagner boss, is allegedly under investigation for prospective involvement in the rebellion.
The shared image seeming to be Russia’s erstwhile commander in Ukraine was made public on social media platforms. Russian media notable, Ksenia Sobchak, shared the image on a social platform, Telegram, captioned: “General Sergei Surovikin is out. Alive, healthy, at home, with his family, in Moscow. Photo taken today.”
The image presents a sunglass-clad man walking arm in arm with a red-haired woman, who bears an uncanny resemblance to Anna, the general’s wife. However, its authenticity remains unverified.
Alexei Venediktov, a Russian journalist, disclosed separately on Telegram: “General Surovikin is at home with his family. He is on leave and available to the defense ministry.”
The renegade mercenaries of Wagner instigated a short-lived rebellion on 23 and 24 June, raising threats of a march on Moscow. Following a crash in Moscow’s vicinity on 23 August, Prigozhin along with nine others met their demise, igniting a flurry of conjectures. Post the failed rebellion, many described Wagner’s boss as a “dead man walking”.
General Surovikin last appeared publicly in a video during the mutiny, persuading Wagner forces to cease their defiance. Subsequent media reports suggested his arrest; however, the officials yet remain silent about his exact whereabouts.
The appointment of Surovikin over the Russian forces in Ukraine transpired last October, but his tenure got revoked within three months. Surovikin built a brutal reputation during the Russian operations in Syria, earning the moniker “General Armageddon”. His association with President Vladimir Putin is also an acknowledged fact.
