Russian military chief Valery Gerasimov made his first public appearance since the Wagner paramilitary group and its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin’s failed insurrection last month, which aimed to overthrow both Gerasimov and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu from their positions.
Russia's army Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov attends an expanded meeting of the Russian ... [+]
In a video shared Monday on the Russian defense ministry’s Telegram page, Gerasimov is seen addressing a meeting of Russian military officials.
During the meeting, Russia’s top general ordered officials on the battleground to better identify the launch sites used by Ukraine to fire its missiles and better prepare against air strikes.
The video is likely an effort by Moscow to dismiss speculation about Gerasimov being axed from his role by Putin.
During the insurrection, Prigozhin publicly railed against Gerasimov and Shoigu as he blamed them for Russia’s military failures in Ukraine, and Western officials told the Wall Street Journal that Prigozhin initially wanted to capture the two leaders.
Prigozhin ended his march toward Moscow abruptly after a peace deal was hatched between the Wagner leader and the Kremlin—leading to speculation that Gerasimov and Shoigu’s ouster may have been part of the deal.
Speculation about Shoigu’s fate was put to rest just days after the failed coup attempt, as he appeared in a video posted by the Russian defense ministry.
The whereabouts of another top Russian general, Sergei Surovikin—the deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine—remain unclear. Surovikin, considered an ally of Prigozhin, was last seen in a recorded video where he asked Russian soldiers not to join the Wagner uprising and urged the Wagner leader to stop his march. Some experts speculated that Surovikin may have been forced to record the video under duress. Since then, U.S. officials have reportedly said Surovikin was likely aware of Wagner’s coup plot beforehand, while other sources have reported that Surovikin may be under arrest.
Late last month, Prigozhin and the Wagner group launched a mutiny and began moving towards Moscow in what they called a “March of Justice.” The group was quickly able to gain control of several Russian cities along the country’s southwest and even shot down several Russian aircraft. The Kremlin responded to the mutiny by charging Prigozhin for inciting an “armed rebellion,” while Putin angrily labeled it as “treason” and a “stab in the back” of Russia. Both sides eventually agreed to a peace deal that ensured that the Wagner leader and his troops would face no punishment for their actions. Prigozhin briefly moved to Belarus following the truce, but has since returned to St. Petersburg. The Wagner boss is now reportedly at the receiving end of a Kremlim smear campaign that intends to discredit him.
Russian Army Chief Appears for First Time Since Wagner Mutiny (Bloomberg)