The Ministry of Defense showed the first video of Gerasimov after the Prigozhin rebellion

Today, the Ministry of Defense of Russia showed a video with Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff and Commander of the Joint Group of Forces in the combat zone on the territory of Ukraine. This is the first appearance of the general in public after the mutiny of PMC “Wagner” on June 23-24 and the reports that appeared in the mass media the day before about Gerasimov’s removal.

It is confirmed that the meeting took place after the request of the Armed Forces to strike with S-200 missiles at objects in the annexed Crimea, Rostov and Kaluga regions on July 9.

In a video published by the Ministry of Defense, Gerasimov listened to a speech by Viktor Afzalov, chief of the main staff of the VKS. At the same time, the commander-in-chief of the VKS Sergey Surovykin was absent from the frame. The general also did not sit in the presidium together with Gerasimov, although he is his deputy in charge of the grouping of Russian troops in Ukraine.

After the failed rebellion of the head of PMC “Wagner” Yevgeny Prigozhin, various rumors spread about Surovykin’s whereabouts, in particular, that he might be arrested. According to the second data, he was interrogated and released. Officially, the fate of the deputy commander of the group of Russian troops in Ukraine was not reported.

The day before, the British newspaper Daily Mail, referring to its sources in Russia, wrote that Gerasimov was removed from his duties. According to the publication, after Yevgeny Prigozhin’s rebellion and the return of the commanders of the Azov Regiment freed from Russian captivity from Turkey to Ukraine, Gerasimov was allegedly replaced by the commander of the Air Force, Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky.

• On June 23, the founder of PMC “Wagner” Yevgeny Prigozhin reported on alleged rocket attacks on the rear of “Wagner” by the regular army of Russia. After that, he announced that 25 thousand “Wagner” fighters are going on an armed march to Moscow in order to bring to justice the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, specifically Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. The Wall Street Journal, citing sources in the intelligence of Western countries, reported that Prigozhin planned to capture Shoigu and Gerasimov during the rebellion.