Russian General Sergey Surovikin, who was reportedly detained following Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin’s rebellion, has been released. This was reported by The New York Times, which referenced two U.S. officials and a source close to Russia’s Defense Ministry.
According to The New York Times’ sources in Washington, despite the fact that Surovikin has been released, it’s still unclear whether he is subject to any restrictions, particularly regarding movement.
The source close to Russia’s Defense Ministry claims that the general has retained his rank and is “technically” still an active officer in the armed forces, though he has no further “career prospects.” The source also said that Surovikin was released a few days after Prigozhin’s plane crashed on August 23.
On September 4, the Russian media personality Ksenia Sobchak reported that Surovikin had been released and published a photo that appeared to show Surovikin. She wrote that he is “alive, healthy, and home, and with his family in Moscow.”
At a briefing in Sochi after the Russian-Turkish talks, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu was asked whether Surovikin was under investigation. Shoigu did not respond to the question. Journalist Farida Rustamova noted that Sobchak posted the photo of Surovikin to her Telegram channel half an hour later.
