Russian General Sergei Surovikin Dismissed from Post as Head of Aerospace Forces

Russian state media reported Wednesday that General Sergei Surovikin, the former commander of Russia’s forces in Ukraine, has been dismissed from his post as head of the country’s Aerospace Forces.

Surovikin had been missing from public view since the Wagner mercenary rebellion in June, leading to speculation about his whereabouts. It was rumored that he had been detained due to his close ties to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the armed rebellion.

Colonel General Viktor Afzalov, Chief of the General Staff of the Aerospace Forces, is now temporarily acting as Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces.

The Wagner mercenary group is a private military company that has been linked to the Kremlin. It is believed to have been involved in the conflict in Ukraine, as well as in Syria and Libya.

The dismissal of General Surovikin is the latest in a series of changes in the Russian military, as the country seeks to modernize its armed forces. It is unclear what role, if any, Surovikin will have in the future.