- Sergey Surovikin, former Commander of the Russian Group of Forces in Ukraine, is reportedly carrying out a role as ‘head of a group of Russian military specialists’ at the Russian Embassy in Algeria. Russian Embassy photographs appear to show a notably thinner Surovikin at an event dedicated to Russia’s 09 May Victory Day, in his probable first public appearance in an official role since 2023.
- Surovikin, also former commander-in-chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS), was not seen in public for many months following the abortive Wagner Group mutiny led by Yevgeny Prigozhin in June 2023, which was denounced by Russian President Putin as ‘treason.’
- Reports of Surovikin’s arrest and detention in relation to the June 2023 Wagner Group mutiny were not publicly confirmed. The Russian Ministry of Defence (MOD) did not officially announce Surovikin’s resignation. However, in September 2023, references to him were reportedly removed from the Russian MOD’s website.
- Russian authorities were likely suspicious of Survikin’s long association with Wagner dating back to his operational activity in Syria, a notable operational nexus for Wagner, from 2017. Surovikin also served as point of contact for Wagner with the Russian MOD.