General Sergei Surovikin arrested, Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov ousted: Vladimir Putin, according to news released by media and military bloggers, has started the ‘purges’ at the top of Russia’s armed forces after the march of Yevgheny Prigozhin’s Wagner, which arrived almost 200 km from Moscow before stopping, without any real intervention by the regular army. And meanwhile, in Dagestan for a meeting with President Sergey Melikov, Putin once again flaunts confidence by indulging in his admirers, shaking hands, kisses and selfies, assuring that he “never had doubts” about the support of the Russian people, aligned and united on the side of the leadership.
If according to the New York Times Surovikin, former head of military operations in Ukraine, would have been aware of the mutiny plans in advance, according to the Moscow Times – which cites two sources close to the Moscow Defense Ministry – the general would have been arrested because, at least “apparently”, would have chosen “Prigozhin’s side”.
PURGE AND RESHUFFLE, THE RUSSIAN BLOGGERS VERSION
Closely following what has happened in recent days and what is happening is the community of Russian military bloggers who, CNN explains, are now expecting a serious reshuffle among the leaders of the Moscow army in the light of the Wagner revolt. And perhaps even within the security services for not having seen the preparations.
A popular blogger named Rybar revealed on Wednesday that a purge was already underway and that it had targeted mid-level commanders who had refused to fire on mercenary columns with the risk of civilians being shot. : “For several days, investigators and representatives of the FSO, (the Federal Security Service), have been working both on the leadership of the military command and control bodies and on the commanders of the units”, Rybar’s words. But not only. According to the blogger, while Gerasimov remains formally in charge of what Russia calls a “special military operation” in Ukraine, the air force commander, Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky, is in fact waging the war.
Another well-known blogger, Boris Rozhin, further wrote that “one of the positive aspects of June 24 could be that the authorities will be cleared of disloyal and unstable personnel”.
NO EXTRADITION TO USA FOR PRIGOZHIN
If it is not clear what Prigozhin’s fate will be, in the meantime the leader of the Wagner Group certainly cannot be handed over to the United States to answer for the crimes he is accused of. This was clarified by the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, answering a question on the matter: “Every Russian citizen has the right to count on Russia’s assistance to protect him from illegal attempts to take him abroad for criminal liability” .
The clarification came after US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller admitted that Washington would like Prigozhin to appear before an American court for “crimes he is accused of” both in Ukraine and in Africa, where the organization is present.
Zakharova then underlined that Russia will resolve the situation with Prigozhin and his mercenaries “without external comments”. “Those who wanted to express their support, expressed it; those who wanted to help, helped. We will remember all this, we will take note of it and we will not forget it,” she said.
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