Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov has made a public appearance for the first time since the mercenary uprising in Russia last month. The Ministry of Defense in Moscow released footage of a meeting on Sunday. Earlier there was speculation about his dismissal.
The released footage shows Gerasimov being briefed on the repulse of Ukrainian missile attacks on the annexed Crimean peninsula and the Russian regions of Rostov and Kaluga. His title, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, was used.
After the short uprising of the Wagner mercenary group broke down on June 24, some of the top generals had disappeared from view. This led to speculation about whether military leaders were aware of mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s plans.
Russian military bloggers spread the news that Vladimir Putin had ousted Gerasimov since Saturday. According to this, Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky should now be in command of all troops at the front. It would be the fifth leadership change since the invasion.
Gerasimov remains the official boss
According to the Moscow Times, which refers to the bloggers, Gerasimov officially remains Chief of the General Staff, but has nothing directly to do with what is happening in Ukraine. In the beginning, Alexander Dwornikov orchestrated the offensive war against Ukraine. Before Gerasimov, Sergey Surovikin was in charge of the “special operation”. The confidante of Wagner boss Prigozchin is said to have been arrested.
According to US experts, the Wagner army continues to pose a potential threat to Putin and his power apparatus. “Putin continues to allow Wagner and Prigozhin to operate in Russia and may pose a threat to his regime,” according to an analysis by the US Institute. for War Studies ISW on Saturday night (local time) in Washington.
Putin destroys the Prigozhin Empire
Since the uprising, the Kremlin’s propaganda apparatus has been busy reinterpreting what happened. Putin is remarkably close to the people and portrayed as a prudent leader who avoided bloodshed. However, it is not mentioned that the Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko mediated in the conflict. According to media reports, Putin is currently destroying Prigozhin’s billion-dollar empire.
For example, the media group of “Putin’s cook”, Patriot Media, announced that it would have to join. According to Russian media, the ‘troll factory’ financed by Prigozhin, which is held responsible, among other things, for the interference in the 2016 US presidential election, will also close. Putin also said that he wanted to take a closer look at the parent company of the Wagner boss. He hopes no one “stole anything”.
Source: Krone
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