Russia-Ukraine war: Putin fires top general who vanished amid Wagner uprising

Top Russian military leader General Sergey Surovikin, who went missing after the mercenary group Wagner’s rebellion in June, has been fired from his role as head of the country’s airforce, CNN reported Wednesday, citing Russian state media.

Sergey has spent nearly 40 years in the Russian military, including a brief stint heading the Russia-Ukraine war.

In October 2022, the Kremlin put him in charge of the conflict, shortly after a major explosion severely damaged the Kerch bridge connecting the annexed Crimean Peninsula to mainland Russia. Just months later, Surovikin was removed from his position.

Since his release of a video urging Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin to stop his insurrection in June, he has not been seen in public.

In July, A Russian lawmaker said in July that Surovikin was “resting.”

In June, confidential records revealed to CNN unveiled Surovikin's concealed VIP membership within the Wagner group. The New York Times disclosed the possibility that Surovikin possessed prior knowledge regarding the insurgency, thereby adding to the conjecture about his involvement in the uprising.

According to the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, Surovikin was replaced by his subordinate, Colonel General Viktor Afzalov, a former head of the general staff of the Aerospace Forces.

As the head of the aerospace forces, Surovikin supervised Russia's operations in Syria, a period during which Russian military aircraft faced allegations of inflicting extensive damage in regions held by rebels.

While Moscow lauded Surovikin for his service in Syria, Human Rights Watch claimed that he might be accountable for offences violating the laws of war, resulting in the deaths of at least 1,600 civilians.

These alleged instances of brutality earned Surovikin the moniker "General Armageddon." Gleb Irisov, a former subordinate, informed CNN that Surovikin incurred animosity due to his attempt to adapt his ground forces experience to the air force, a factor that fueled resentment and hostility among many.