Russian commander who may have known about Wagner rebellion is arrested: report

The Russian deputy commander who oversaw troops in Ukraine and is believed to have been conscious of plans for Wagner’s mutiny has been arrested. 

Sources near Russia’s Ministry of Protection advised The Moscow Times of Gen. Sergei Surovikin’s arrest on Wednesday. 

The highest Russian army commander in Ukraine, Gen. Sergei Surovikin, left, and Russian Protection Minister Sergei Shoigu. (AP)

Rumors of the deputy commander’s arrest have been beforehand mentioned by military blogger Vladimir Romanov, who reported that Surovikin was arrested Sunday, the day after Wagner mercenary troops led by Yevgeny Prigozhin engaged in a short-lived mutiny. 

Information of Surovikin’s potential arrest comes after The New York Times reported that he had superior information of Prigozhin’s plans to insurgent towards Russia’s army management. 

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U.S. officers briefed on American intelligence advised the Instances they’re making an attempt to find out whether or not Surovikin helped Prigozhin. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Surovikin to guide Russia’s invasion of Ukraine again in October. 

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the proprietor of the Wagner Group army firm, information his video addresses in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on Saturday.  (Prigozhin Press Service through AP)

The final first gained notoriety in 1991 for ordering Russian troopers to fireside on protesting civilians in Moscow within the closing months of the Soviet Union. He displayed comparable brutality when Putin deployed him to Syria in 2017, allegedly ordering the indiscriminate bombings of Aleppo and different anti-government strongholds.

Members of the Wagner Group detain a person within the metropolis of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, on Saturday.  (STRINGER/AFP through Getty Photographs)

Surovikin has additionally been accused of complicity in using chemical weapons in Syria.

Prigozhin has beforehand referred to as Surovikin “probably the most ready commander within the Russian military.” 

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“He was born to serve his motherland faithfully. Having acquired an order in 1991, Surovikin was that officer who with out hesitation received in his tank and went ahead to save lots of his nation,” Prigozhin stated. 

Fox Information’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.