Rumors of leadership purge in Russian military swirl after alleged detention of top general Surovikin

Russian General Sergei Surovikin, his deputy Andrey Yudin and several other generals have been detained in Russia, Vadym Denysenko, head of the Ukrainian Institute for the Future, claimed in an interview with Radio NV on July 6.

"We can say that the system, apparently, has detained and is holding, no matter under house arrest, in Lefortovo or anywhere else, Surovikin, probably his deputy Yudin and several other generals," Denysenko stated.

On June 28, The Moscow Times reported, citing two sources close to the Russian Defense Ministry, that following the mutiny of the Wagner mercenary company head Yevgeny Prigozhin, Surovikin was arrested. The Russian general is believed to be on good relations with the Wagner chief.

On June 29, the Financial Times reported Surovikin's arrest, citing anonymous members of the Moscow elite. FT sources allege that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin had launched a purge against the leadership of Russia’s security services in an attempt to suppress critics, restore order, and strengthen his rule after the weakness shown during the Wagner PMC mutiny.

Allegedly, many of Wagner's supporters who have publicly criticized the regular armed forces of Russia have disappeared from the public eye, while loyalists such as Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, whom Prigozhin hoped to oust during the mutiny, have been shown publicly attending high-level meetings and events.

Despite comments by Russian propagandist Alexei Venediktov that Surovikin had not even contacted his family, his daughter denied her father's detention in a comment to the Russian Telegram channel Baza.

Read also: Prigozhin says Surovikin mediating between mercenaries and Russian Defense Ministry

Surovikin's wife refused to comment on the rumors of his arrest.

On the same day, U.S. financial newspaper Bloomberg reported that Surovikin had been interrogated for several days about his ties to Prigozhin, held "in one place" but not in prison, while the Russian publication iStories, citing two sources close to the Russian General Staff and the FSB, said that he had already been released after interrogation.

CNN, citing exclusive documents, reported that Surovikin, along with at least 30 other high-ranking Russian military and intelligence officers, were VIP members of the Wagner company.

Yudin's arrest was reported by Russian propaganda Telegram channels, but he has reportedly denied this information, claiming that he was on vacation.

On June 29, Venediktov declared that Yudin had been fired from the Russian armed forces.

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