Russian ‘Armageddon’ general Surovikin, not seen since Wagner mutiny, ‘sacked’
- ‘Sergei Surovikin has been relieved of his post,’ Russia’s state-run RIA news agency quoted a source as saying
- Nicknamed ‘General Armageddon’ for his ruthlessness, Surovikin had close ties with Wagner, which rebelled against nation’s military leaders in June
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Nicknamed “General Armageddon” for his ruthless methods, Surovikin had close ties with Wagner and was rumoured to have been removed after the mercenary group rebelled against Russia’s military leadership.
“Ex-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces Sergei Surovikin has been relieved of his post,” Russia’s state-run RIA news agency quoted a source as saying.
It said that Colonel-General Viktor Afzalov, Chief of Staff of the aerospace force, would temporarily replace Surovikin in his former role.
In May, when Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin furiously accused Russian military leaders of failing to provide his forces with ammunition, Surovikin was officially named as an intermediary between Wagner and the army.
Then, on the night between June 23 and 24, after Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin called for the toppling of Russia’s military command, Surovikin made a highly unusual video appeal to the mercenary group.
Less than 24 hours later, Prigozhin had turned his forces back and agreed a deal with the Kremlin to be exiled to Belarus.
Surovikin made no public appearances afterwards, prompting furious speculation that he had been detained or removed from his post.
In July, a lawmaker and former army officer from Russia’s ruling party said that Surovikin was “resting” and “not available”.
Meanwhile, at least two educational workers were killed and three other people were wounded in a Russian attack on a school in the city of Romny in northeastern Ukraine on Wednesday, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said.
He said two other school workers were still under the rubble in Romny, which is part of the Sumy region. Photos shared by Klymenko on the Telegram messaging app showed emergency workers carrying away a body on a stretcher.
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The regional military administration said a drone fired by Russia had hit the school in the morning.
“The school building was destroyed, and this is just before the school year, which unfortunately will never start for some,” Ukrainian human rights ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on Telegram.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Russia denies deliberately targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Additional reporting by Reuters
