CNN —A top Russian general who went missing after the mercenary group Wagner’s insurrection in June has been fired from his role as head of the country’s aerospace forces, Russian state media reported Wednesday citing unnamed sources.
Gen. Sergey Surovikin has spent four decades as part of the Russian military, including a brief stint running Russia’s war effort in Ukraine.
A Russian lawmaker said in July that Surovikin is “resting.”Documents shared with CNN in June suggested that Surovikin was a secret VIP member of Wagner.
As the head of the aerospace forces, Surovikin oversaw the Kremlin’s campaign in Syria, during which Russian combat aircraft were accused of causing widespread devastation in rebel-held areas.
Surovikin’s official bio on the Russian Defense Ministry’s website still lists him as the head of the aerospace forces.
Persons:
Sergey Surovikin, Surovikin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Sorovikin, Gen, Viktor Afzalov, Surovikin’s, Ivan Popov, Vladimir Putin, Gleb Irisov, –, ” Irisov, KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, Alexey Venediktov
Organizations:
CNN, The New York Times, RIA Novosti, Aerospace Forces, Moscow’s Defense Ministry, Kremlin Press Office, Russian, Human Rights Watch, Getty, Ministry of Defense, RBC, Russian Defense, Russian Ministry of Defense
Locations:
Russian, Ukraine, Kerch, Crimean, Russia, Afghanistan, Syria, Moscow, AFP