RIA Novosti: General Afzalov appointed as Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces

General Viktor Afzalov, Chief of the General Staff of the Aerospace Forces (VKS) of Russia, has been appointed interim Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces (VKS) of Russia, Sergey Surovikin has been relieved of this post. About it informs RIA Novosti, citing an informed source.

August 22 about the resignation of Surovikin in connection with the transfer to another job informed RBC with reference to sources. One of the interlocutors of the publication clarified that now the general is “on a short vacation.” According to the source, after being removed from the post of commander-in-chief of the VKS, Surovikin also ceased to be the deputy commander of the special operation in Ukraine.

The former editor-in-chief of Ekho Moskvy Alexei Venediktov (recognized by the Ministry of Justice as a foreign agent) also learned about the dismissal of the general from his post earlier. According to him, Surovikin was removed from the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces and left at the disposal of the Ministry of Defense.

Surovikin has not appeared in public since June 23. On the night of June 24, military commander Andrey Rudenko published on his Telegram channel the general’s appeal to the Wagner PMC. Surovikin urged the company to “stop the columns” and “solve all problems only peacefully.”

On June 27, The New York Times, citing American officials who have data from the US intelligence services, reported that Surovikin allegedly knew in advance about the plans of the founder of Wagner PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin to organize an armed rebellion. Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov named these statements are speculation.

At the same time, the Baza Telegram channel claimed to have contacted the general’s daughter. She stated that her father was not arrested, “everything is all right” with him. According to her, everyone is “at their jobs.” In the Public Monitoring Commission (POC) refuted the presence of Surovikin in the Lefortovo pre-trial detention center or in any other detention center.

Peskov refused comment on reports of the general’s possible resignation. He forwarded this question to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

In mid-July, Andrey Kartapolov, Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee declaredthat Surovikin is “not yet available.” According to the deputy, the general “is now resting.”