The Kremlin has declined to answer questions about the whereabouts of the Russian army general Sergei Surovikin amid unconfirmed reports that he was being questioned by the security services.
US intelligence on Wednesday claimed that Surovikin, who previously led the invasion force in Ukraine, had prior knowledge of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s uprising, in which Wagner group mercenaries captured the city of Rostov and moved on Moscow before cutting an amnesty deal.
Asked by reporters if the Kremlin could clarify the situation with Surovikin, Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said: “No, unfortunately not. So I recommend that you contact the defence ministry. This is its prerogative.”
Peskov declined to answer a question on whether Surovikin retained Putin’s confidence.
The well-known links between Surovikin and Prigozhin have fuelled rumours that Surovikin may be purged or put under investigation for supporting the mutiny. Prigozhin worked closely with Surovikin during Russia’s military intervention in Syria and has previously described the general as a “legendary figure”.
But when Prigozhin launched his uprising, Surovikin made an unambiguous statement against it and in support of the Russian government late on Friday.
The Associated Press and the Financial Times said on Thursday that Surovikin had been detained, citing people who were familiar with the matter. Both said it remained unclear whether he was being charged as a plotter in the uprising or where he was being held, reflecting the opaque world of the Kremlin’s politics and uncertainty after the revolt.
In an interview with Baza, a Russian Telegram channel with close ties to the police, Surovikin’s daughter denied her father had been arrested. “Nothing happened to him, he is at his workplace as usual,” Veronika Surovika said, adding that her father rarely talked to the media.
Several other Russian independent media, citing security sources, said Surovikin was not currently under arrest.
Surovikin, nicknamed “General Armageddon” for his hardline and unorthodox approach to waging war, is believed to be a popular figure in the Russian army. “He is said to be respected by the soldiers and viewed as competent,” said Dara Massicot, a senior policy researcher at the Rand Corporation.
Surovikin is credited with shoring up Russia’s defences, which have so far proved effective in slowing down Ukraine’s summer counterattacks.
Russian state media on Wednesday released footage of Putin meeting a crowd of people in the southern Russian region of Dagestan, images that appeared designed to show that the president retained public support.
In one video aired on state television, Putin strolled on to a city square and was greeted by a crowd of cheering people, with whom he posed for selfies.
The footage was unusual as Putin has rarely been seen outside his residences since the coronavirus pandemic, while his security required all staff working in the same room as him to undergo a two-week quarantine.
The rare public appearance sparked speculation online about whether the president was using a body double.
The appearance in Dagestan is part of a campaign launched by the Russian leadership to portray Putin as a leader who continues to enjoy popularity after he survived the boldest challenge to his 23-year autocratic rule.
“The whole city came out to meet the president … He could not refuse these people,” Peskov said on Thursday, describing Putin’s trip.
Elsewhere, Russia appeared to be moving ahead with the dissolution of Prigozhin’s vast mercenary and business empire. According to the Wall Street Journal, Wagner fighters who had operated under Prigozhin’s command in Syria since 2015 were ordered this week to an airbase run by Russia’s defence ministry in the Syrian port city of Latakia.
Local officials released a photograph of a meeting with Russia’s deputy foreign minister, saying the two sides held talks “as part of the regular political consultations between the two friendly countries”.
Russian media reported that Prigozhin’s notorious “troll farm” and media business was looking for fresh ownership after his aborted rebellion and exile in Belarus.
After years of denials, Prigozhin admitted in February 2023 that he was behind Russia’s Internet Research Agency, a company that the US says is a troll farm that meddled in the 2016 US presidential election.
Prigozhin is also believed to own the Patriot media group, a string of online outlets that have been used to promote pro-Wagner sentiments in Russia and abroad.