Gen. Sergey Surovikin, the former leader of Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine, has been dismissed from his position as the head of Russia's aerospace forces, state media reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.
Surovikin - known in Russia as "General Armageddon" due to allegations of his brutality - has not been seen in public since the short-lived mutiny led by Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in June, fueling unconfirmed rumors of his detention.
Documents shared exclusively with CNN in June suggest that Surovikin was among at least 30 other senior Russian military and intelligence officials who were secret VIP members of Wagner.
As reported by RIA Novosti, Surovikin has been replaced by Gen. Viktor Afzalov, Chief of the General Staff of the Aerospace Forces.
"The ex-Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces of Russia, Sergey Surovikin, has now been relieved of his post. Colonel-General Viktor Afzalov, Chief of the General Staff of the Aerospace Forces, is temporarily acting as Commander-in-Chief of the Aerospace Forces," an unnamed source told RIA.
The news of Surovikin's removal was initially reported by prominent Russian journalist and former head of the now-closed Echo of Moscow radio station, Alexey Venediktov.
The journalist posted on his Telegram channel on Tuesday that Surovikin had been relieved of his post but would continue serving the Ministry of Defense in another capacity.
According to sources cited by Russia’s business news outlet RBC, Surovikin's removal is due to a transfer to a different role, and states that he is currently on a short vacation.
Surovikin’s official bio on the Russian defense ministry’s website still lists him as the head of the aerospace forces.
CNN has reached out to the Russian defense ministry for comment.
Surovikin was made overall commander for Russian military operations in Ukraine last October. In January, the role was reassigned to Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian General Staff, and Surovikin was made one of his three deputies.
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