Kremlin Reportedly Detains "General Armageddon" In Crackdown Of Prigozhin Pals, Daughter Denies

With political experts and pundits still trying to grasp and explain the events that rocked Russia this weekend, yesterday two major updates involving one of the top players in Russian chessgame added even more complexity to the bigger picture: first the NYT reported (citing US intel sources) that Gen. Sergei Surovikin, also known as "General Armageddon", the former top Russian commander in Ukraine and prior to that the commander of Russian forces in Syria, had foreknowledge that an armed Wagner uprising was coming. This was followed by FT Moscow correspondent Max Seddon who highlighted reports that Surovikin's whereabouts are unknown (despite claims to the contrary by his daughter: see below), hinting that he may have been detained by Putin for his tacit complicity with coup-plotter Prigozhin.

Fast forward to today when the mystery surrounding the fate of Surovikin escalated after the same FT journalist reported that Surovikin "has been detained" as the Kremlin cracks down on Wagner sympathizers following the militia’s failed mutiny last week.

Surovikin, a senior Russian general known to have a good relationship with Wagner’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, has not been heard from for several days and has been detained, according to sources in Russia’s elite and western government officials familiar with the matter.

Of course, any report that cites conflicted "western government officials" and certainly even more conflicted "Russian elites" as a source should be taken with a mountain of salt, especially since the deputy commander of Russia’s invasion force in Ukraine and head of its aerospace forces has not been officially charged as a plotter in the uprising; according to Seddon it is also not known if Surovikin has been detained for interrogation, or where he is being held, if he is indeed being held somewhere.

While the Kremlin has declined to address the mounting rumors or explain where the general is, his daughter Veronika claimed “everything is fine” with her father, pouring cold water on the report of his disappearance.

“Honestly, no, nothing has happened to him, he’s at work,” she told Russian news outlet Baza. “When did he appear in the media every day? He never made any statements every day,” she added. “As I understand, everything is sort of flowing as things normally happen. Everyone is at their workplace, everything is fine.”

Undeterred by the denial, the FT is pushing through the narrative that Putin has begun a clean-up operation at the top of the security services (citing again "members of the Moscow elite and western officials") with the president "moving to quash critics, restore order and re-establish his dominance after the first coup attempt in Russia in three decades."

Many of the hardliners who have been known to sympathise with Wagner and criticise the regular armed forces have disappeared from view in recent days. At the same time, loyalists — such as defence minister Sergei Shoigu, whom Prigozhin hoped to unseat in his coup — have been given a platform and have been shown in public participating in high-level meetings and events.

“Putin knew about [Prigozhin’s uprising plans] in advance, as we understand, and so could prepare to a certain extent,” a western government official told the FT. “He was able to see who did what on that day. And he’s now cleaning house.”

The official said they believed Surovikin had been detained, adding: “We understand that there will be more people who will follow.”

For now it remains unclear if this is fact or wishful thinking, or whether this is merely the latest fake news narrative meant to deflect attention from the fact that the highly touted Ukraine counteroffensive has been a flop, while trying to alienate Putin from one of his top generals.

Suspicions around Surovikin may have resulted from his good relationship with Prigozhin. While the Wagner warlord railed against other generals and the defense elite — blaming them for the high death toll among Russian soldiers during the invasion and accusing them of “genocide” — he maintained a dialogue with Surovikin.

Surovikin also clashed with the defence ministry’s top brass over tactics and strategy, leading Putin to demote him from the head of the Russian invasion after just a few months on the job. Putin reappointed Valery Gerasimov instead and Russia launched a new offensive soon after.

Echoing previous reports, the FT also cites sources "familiar with the matter" according to whom Surovikin, like many in Russia’s security establishment not to mention the CIA, knew about Prigozhin’s plans but said he had not been among the plotters.

On Wednesday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed a New York Times report, citing US officials, about the general having been aware of the coup plot in advance. Peskov said he expected “a lot of speculation around these events”, adding: “I think this is an example of that.”