Russian MP says deputy commander of Ukraine operation 'is resting'

Andrei Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee (the lower house of the Russian parliament), announced on July 12 that General Sergei Surovikin is "resting", according to Reuters. In a video posted on social media, Mr. Kartapolov said: "Mr. Surovikin is resting. He is not available at the moment."

Nghị sĩ Nga nói phó chỉ huy chiến dịch tại Ukraine 'đang nghỉ ngơi' - Ảnh 1. — General Sergei Surovikin, Deputy Commander of Russia's military operation in Ukraine

General Surovikin is the commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces and deputy commander of the military operation in Ukraine. Mr. Surovikin last appeared in public in a video calling on Wagner mercenaries to end their rebellion against the Russian Defense Ministry on June 24.

Mr Surovikin is said to have good relations with Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. The New York Times last month cited US intelligence as saying that Mr Surovikin knew in advance about Wagner's plans for the rebellion and that Russian authorities were investigating whether he was complicit.

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Rumors have been circulating in Russian and international media about Surovikin's arrest, but Alexey Melnikov, Secretary of Russia's Public Oversight Committee, denied on June 29 that Surovikin was being detained, according to TASS.

"Representatives of many Russian and foreign media agencies have called me quite often in recent days. They asked if Mr. Surovikin was in detention. I replied that he was not in Lefortovo (the notorious detention center in Moscow, where suspects accused of treason are held, according to CNN) or any other detention center," Mr. Melnikov said at the time.

Meanwhile, two figures targeted by Wagner in the rebellion, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, commander of the operation in Ukraine, have recently resurfaced after the rebellion.

Gerasimov appeared on television on July 10, listening to a report from Viktor Afzalov, the chief of staff of the Aerospace Forces. Afzalov has held that position for at least four years and is Surovikin’s deputy, but it is believed to be the first time he has appeared publicly with Gerasimov, the British Ministry of Defense said on July 12.

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The British Ministry of Defence said Mr Afzalov’s increased public appearances, while Mr Surovikin’s whereabouts were unknown, added weight to the theory that Mr Surovikin had been sidelined after the uprising. Russian officials have not commented on the information.

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