Ukraine evacuates civilians as Russia tries to retake liberated city
KUPYANSK, Ukraine — The government order was clear: Everyone still here should leave.
For weeks, Russia has ramped up its attacks on Kupyansk, trying to win back a city it lost last year when Ukrainian forces retook control after more than six months of Russian occupation.
With Kyiv now focusing its latest counterattack largely in the country’s south, Moscow is trying to gain ground elsewhere — and Ukrainian soldiers positioned in this enclave 25 miles from the Russian border are working urgently to repel their advance.
As Russian forces target troop locations and strike civilian infrastructure with artillery, mortars and aerial bombs, the Ukrainians are digging into positions in the woods and on the sides of roads — and striking back. At stake is control of a strategic military resupply route and a rail hub.
Read the full story here.
KUPYANSK, Ukraine — The government order was clear: Everyone still here should leave.
For weeks, Russia has ramped up its attacks on Kupyansk, trying to win back a city it lost last year when Ukrainian forces retook control after more than six months of Russian occupation.
With Kyiv now focusing its latest counterattack largely in the country’s south, Moscow is trying to gain ground elsewhere — and Ukrainian soldiers positioned in this enclave 25 miles from the Russian border are working urgently to repel their advance.
As Russian forces target troop locations and strike civilian infrastructure with artillery, mortars and aerial bombs, the Ukrainians are digging into positions in the woods and on the sides of roads — and striking back. At stake is control of a strategic military resupply route and a rail hub.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Kyiv claimed that its forces entered Robotyne, a strategic village in the Zaporizhzhia region that Ukrainian and Russian troops have been fighting over for weeks as part of Ukraine’s counteroffensive.
- The U.S. Embassy in Belarus urged Americans to leave the country “immediately,” citing spillover risks from the war in Ukraine.
- The region around Russia’s capital was targeted by drones overnight for the fifth consecutive day.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had an “open, honest and fruitful meeting” with his Serbian counterpart at a summit of Balkan nations and Ukraine.
- The Russian Defense Ministry said air defense systems detected two drones over the Bryansk region of western Russia overnight.
- Russian shelling damaged four multistory buildings in the city of Zaporizhzhia overnight, Zaporizhzhia City Council Secretary Anatolii Kurtiev said on Telegram.
More live updates here.
- Kyiv claimed that its forces entered Robotyne, a strategic village in the Zaporizhzhia region that Ukrainian and Russian troops have been fighting over for weeks as part of Ukraine’s counteroffensive.
- The U.S. Embassy in Belarus urged Americans to leave the country “immediately,” citing spillover risks from the war in Ukraine.
- The region around Russia’s capital was targeted by drones overnight for the fifth consecutive day.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had an “open, honest and fruitful meeting” with his Serbian counterpart at a summit of Balkan nations and Ukraine.
- The Russian Defense Ministry said air defense systems detected two drones over the Bryansk region of western Russia overnight.
- Russian shelling damaged four multistory buildings in the city of Zaporizhzhia overnight, Zaporizhzhia City Council Secretary Anatolii Kurtiev said on Telegram.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to curry favor at this week’s BRICS summit in Johannesburg, claiming Russia could fill Ukraine’s role as a grain supplier and calling sanctions on his country for the war in Ukraine “illegitimate.”
- U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan defended Ukraine’s battlefield performance, saying U.S. officials “do not assess that the conflict is a stalemate” and pledging continued aid to Kyiv despite disappointment about Ukraine’s progress retaking territory.
- The Moscow region was targeted with drones for the sixth consecutive night. Two drones were shot down, while another struck a building under construction in the Russian capital without causing casualties, the Russian Defense Ministry wrote on social media.
- A drone appears to have destroyed a Russian long-range bomber at an air base near St. Petersburg, Ukrainian media reported.
More live updates here.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to curry favor at this week’s BRICS summit in Johannesburg, claiming Russia could fill Ukraine’s role as a grain supplier and calling sanctions on his country for the war in Ukraine “illegitimate.”
- U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan defended Ukraine’s battlefield performance, saying U.S. officials “do not assess that the conflict is a stalemate” and pledging continued aid to Kyiv despite disappointment about Ukraine’s progress retaking territory.
- The Moscow region was targeted with drones for the sixth consecutive night. Two drones were shot down, while another struck a building under construction in the Russian capital without causing casualties, the Russian Defense Ministry wrote on social media.
- A drone appears to have destroyed a Russian long-range bomber at an air base near St. Petersburg, Ukrainian media reported.
More live updates here.
U.S. tells Americans to leave Belarus immediately
The United States is urging Americans in Belarus to leave the country “immediately,” citing spillover risks from the war in Ukraine, including a buildup of Russian troops in Belarus.
The U.S. Embassy in Minsk, the Belarusian capital, said in an advisory on Monday that Americans should avoid traveling to Belarus because of the country’s “continued facilitation of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, the buildup of Russian military forces in Belarus, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws” and the risk of detention and civil unrest.
It noted that Lithuania closed two border crossings last week, potentially limiting ways out of Belarus. Lithuania, Poland and Latvia — all members of the European Union — were considering closing more border crossings, the embassy warned.
Read the full story here.
The United States is urging Americans in Belarus to leave the country “immediately,” citing spillover risks from the war in Ukraine, including a buildup of Russian troops in Belarus.
The U.S. Embassy in Minsk, the Belarusian capital, said in an advisory on Monday that Americans should avoid traveling to Belarus because of the country’s “continued facilitation of Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine, the buildup of Russian military forces in Belarus, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws” and the risk of detention and civil unrest.
It noted that Lithuania closed two border crossings last week, potentially limiting ways out of Belarus. Lithuania, Poland and Latvia — all members of the European Union — were considering closing more border crossings, the embassy warned.
Read the full story here.
Wagner mercenary group to focus on Africa, Prigozhin says in new video
In his first video address since sending mercenary fighters toward Moscow during a short-lived mutiny in June, Wagner Group boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin indicated that his guns-for-hire group, once a key fighting force in Ukraine, is now focusing its operations on Africa.
Standing in an unidentified location in the desert, wearing a camouflage bucket hat and holding a rifle, the 62-year-old business executive said Wagner continues “to work and is looking for real bogatyrs” — Russian folklore heroes famed for their strength — to advance Russia’s goals on the continent.
“The temperature is 50-plus degrees Celsius, everything as we like,” Prigozhin said, with armed men on a truck waiting in the distance. “PMC Wagner is conducting a reconnaissance operation, making Russia even greater on all continents and Africa more free … We continue to fulfill the tasks we promised to succeed at.”
Read the full story here.
In his first video address since sending mercenary fighters toward Moscow during a short-lived mutiny in June, Wagner Group boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin indicated that his guns-for-hire group, once a key fighting force in Ukraine, is now focusing its operations on Africa.
Standing in an unidentified location in the desert, wearing a camouflage bucket hat and holding a rifle, the 62-year-old business executive said Wagner continues “to work and is looking for real bogatyrs” — Russian folklore heroes famed for their strength — to advance Russia’s goals on the continent.
“The temperature is 50-plus degrees Celsius, everything as we like,” Prigozhin said, with armed men on a truck waiting in the distance. “PMC Wagner is conducting a reconnaissance operation, making Russia even greater on all continents and Africa more free … We continue to fulfill the tasks we promised to succeed at.”
Read the full story here.
Plane believed to be carrying Wagner chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin crashes in Russia, according to Russian state media
At least 10 people died in the crash of a Wagner-linked private plane outside Moscow, according to Russia’s emergency services. Prighozin, who led a failed mutiny in June, was on the plane’s manifest, according to state-run outlet RIA, citing the country’s aviation authority.
Prigozhin had largely disappeared from the public eye after leading the short-lived rebellion, which saw his mercenary fighters briefly occupy a military headquarters in southern Russia and march on the capital, shocking President Vladimir Putin and the country’s military leadership.
Under a deal brokered with Putin by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Prigozhin agreed to call off the mutiny in exchange for pardons and the ability to relocate his fighters to Belarus.
Read the full story here.
At least 10 people died in the crash of a Wagner-linked private plane outside Moscow, according to Russia’s emergency services. Prighozin, who led a failed mutiny in June, was on the plane’s manifest, according to state-run outlet RIA, citing the country’s aviation authority.
Prigozhin had largely disappeared from the public eye after leading the short-lived rebellion, which saw his mercenary fighters briefly occupy a military headquarters in southern Russia and march on the capital, shocking President Vladimir Putin and the country’s military leadership.
Under a deal brokered with Putin by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Prigozhin agreed to call off the mutiny in exchange for pardons and the ability to relocate his fighters to Belarus.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the Wagner Group mercenary chief who led a short-lived mutiny against the Kremlin in June, was listed as a passenger on a plane that crashed in Russia on Wednesday, killing all 10 people on board, including three pilots and seven passengers, according to Russian state news agency Tass, which cites the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
- In Russia, theories swirled on the cause of the explosions that brought down the private jet associated with Wagner founder Yevgeniy Prigozhin, with some speculating it was a “terrorist” attack and others claiming the plane was struck by Russian air defenses.
- In a video posted to Telegram on Wednesday, a plane can be seen falling out of the sky. Seconds later, black smoke billows in the distance. The video, along with others showing a plane falling, was shared shortly after news broke that a jet linked to Wagner leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin crashed in Russia.
More live updates here.
- Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the Wagner Group mercenary chief who led a short-lived mutiny against the Kremlin in June, was listed as a passenger on a plane that crashed in Russia on Wednesday, killing all 10 people on board, including three pilots and seven passengers, according to Russian state news agency Tass, which cites the press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
- In Russia, theories swirled on the cause of the explosions that brought down the private jet associated with Wagner founder Yevgeniy Prigozhin, with some speculating it was a “terrorist” attack and others claiming the plane was struck by Russian air defenses.
- In a video posted to Telegram on Wednesday, a plane can be seen falling out of the sky. Seconds later, black smoke billows in the distance. The video, along with others showing a plane falling, was shared shortly after news broke that a jet linked to Wagner leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin crashed in Russia.
More live updates here.
What we know about the crashed Russian plane that listed Prigozhin as passenger
An Embraer private jet crashed Wednesday afternoon near Russia’s Tver region. The list of passengers included Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the chief of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which led a short but dramatic mutiny against the Kremlin in June. It is not confirmed whether Prigozhin was on the plane.
Videos circulating on social media showed the remnants of the aircraft ablaze, emitting black smoke. The remains of all 10 people on board the aircraft have been recovered, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
Here is what we know about the crash in Russia.
An Embraer private jet crashed Wednesday afternoon near Russia’s Tver region. The list of passengers included Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the chief of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which led a short but dramatic mutiny against the Kremlin in June. It is not confirmed whether Prigozhin was on the plane.
Videos circulating on social media showed the remnants of the aircraft ablaze, emitting black smoke. The remains of all 10 people on board the aircraft have been recovered, according to Russian news agency Interfax.
Here is what we know about the crash in Russia.
Putin and Xi face hurdles in bid to turn BRICS into anti-Western bloc
Russia and China have long seen BRICS — the economic grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — as central to their goal of countering Western global dominance.
On Wednesday, the planned expansion of the group was touted by China as a watershed moment on the road to a new multipolar world. But for Russian President Vladimir Putin — who has described in almost messianic terms his desire to create a new world order — the gathering highlighted his global isolation.
Indicted by the International Criminal Court over Russia’s abductions of Ukrainian children, Putin could not attend the summit held outside Johannesburg, with South Africa legally obliged to arrest him on war crimes charges. Instead, he appeared via video link, seated alone at a large white table in Moscow.
Read the full story here.
Russia and China have long seen BRICS — the economic grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — as central to their goal of countering Western global dominance.
On Wednesday, the planned expansion of the group was touted by China as a watershed moment on the road to a new multipolar world. But for Russian President Vladimir Putin — who has described in almost messianic terms his desire to create a new world order — the gathering highlighted his global isolation.
Indicted by the International Criminal Court over Russia’s abductions of Ukrainian children, Putin could not attend the summit held outside Johannesburg, with South Africa legally obliged to arrest him on war crimes charges. Instead, he appeared via video link, seated alone at a large white table in Moscow.
Read the full story here.
Putin boosted by Prigozhin’s apparent death, Wagner group future in doubt
The presumed death of the high profile leader of Russia’s Wagner Group has not only thrown the future of the mercenary group deeply in doubt but also strengthened President Vladimir Putin’s hand, after its short-lived June rebellion left him looking weak and paralyzed.
Not just Wagner leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin was believed to have been killed in the crash, but also his operations commander Dmitry Utkin and other senior members of the group when the jet went down mysteriously in the Tver region of Russia — effectively decapitating the outfit.
The Kremlin was silent about the crash with Prigozhin’s death unconfirmed by Russian authorities or his Concord group press service, however Russia’s federal aviation service reported that Prigozhin and Utkin were on the passenger list and that all 10 people onboard were killed.
Read the full story here.
The presumed death of the high profile leader of Russia’s Wagner Group has not only thrown the future of the mercenary group deeply in doubt but also strengthened President Vladimir Putin’s hand, after its short-lived June rebellion left him looking weak and paralyzed.
Not just Wagner leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin was believed to have been killed in the crash, but also his operations commander Dmitry Utkin and other senior members of the group when the jet went down mysteriously in the Tver region of Russia — effectively decapitating the outfit.
The Kremlin was silent about the crash with Prigozhin’s death unconfirmed by Russian authorities or his Concord group press service, however Russia’s federal aviation service reported that Prigozhin and Utkin were on the passenger list and that all 10 people onboard were killed.
Read the full story here.
Putin offers condolences to plane crash victims, says Prigozhin ‘was a talented person’ who ‘made serious mistakes’
In Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first remarks on the mysterious plane crash in the Tver region of Russia on Wednesday, he appeared to eulogize Wagner Group chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin, but stopped short of confirming his death. He promised a full investigation, saying it would take “some time.” He said he had known Prigozhin, an ally-turned-rival who led a short-lived mutiny against the Kremlin in June, since the 1990s, calling him a “talented person” who “made serious mistakes.”
The Embraer business jet, which listing the mercenary group chief among its passengers, crashed northwest of Moscow, killing all 10 on board, according to Russia’s civil aviation agency.
On Thursday morning, pieces of the jet — including what appeared to be its tail — lay more than a mile from the primary crash site.
More live updates here.
In Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first remarks on the mysterious plane crash in the Tver region of Russia on Wednesday, he appeared to eulogize Wagner Group chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin, but stopped short of confirming his death. He promised a full investigation, saying it would take “some time.” He said he had known Prigozhin, an ally-turned-rival who led a short-lived mutiny against the Kremlin in June, since the 1990s, calling him a “talented person” who “made serious mistakes.”
The Embraer business jet, which listing the mercenary group chief among its passengers, crashed northwest of Moscow, killing all 10 on board, according to Russia’s civil aviation agency.
On Thursday morning, pieces of the jet — including what appeared to be its tail — lay more than a mile from the primary crash site.
More live updates here.
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Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- In Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first remarks on the plane crash in the Tver region of Russia on Wednesday, he appeared to eulogize Wagner Group chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin, but stopped short of confirming his death.
- U.S. intelligence officials are considering the possibility that the plane believed to be carrying Wagner Group chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin crashed after an explosion aboard, according to U.S. officials familiar with the preliminary assessment.
- The Embraer business jet, which listed the mercenary group chief among its passengers, crashed northwest of Moscow, killing all 10 on board, according to Russia’s civil aviation agency.
- Prigozhin’s most recent public appearance was in a video released Monday, in which he announced a recruitment drive for Wagner.
- Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny called the crash of a plane reportedly carrying Wagner Group leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin “a terrorist attack.”
More live updates here.
- In Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first remarks on the plane crash in the Tver region of Russia on Wednesday, he appeared to eulogize Wagner Group chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin, but stopped short of confirming his death.
- U.S. intelligence officials are considering the possibility that the plane believed to be carrying Wagner Group chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin crashed after an explosion aboard, according to U.S. officials familiar with the preliminary assessment.
- The Embraer business jet, which listed the mercenary group chief among its passengers, crashed northwest of Moscow, killing all 10 on board, according to Russia’s civil aviation agency.
- Prigozhin’s most recent public appearance was in a video released Monday, in which he announced a recruitment drive for Wagner.
- Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny called the crash of a plane reportedly carrying Wagner Group leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin “a terrorist attack.”
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder said Prigozhin was “likely” killed in the plane crash, according to an initial U.S. assessment.
- There is no indication so far that the plane was downed by a missile, according to U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a preliminary assessment.
- An explosion was detected along the path of the plane, but there are no signs of a missile launch, they said.
- Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny called the crash “a terrorist attack.” Navalny said Putin had “arranged to kill his soldier Prigozhin.”
- Navalny’s statement follows widespread speculation that the Wagner boss’s presumed death was a revenge killing ordered by the Kremlin in response to Prigozhin’s short-lived mutiny two months ago, the most serious challenge to Putin’s rule in decades.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied Ukraine’s involvement in the crash.
More live updates here.
- Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder said Prigozhin was “likely” killed in the plane crash, according to an initial U.S. assessment.
- There is no indication so far that the plane was downed by a missile, according to U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a preliminary assessment.
- An explosion was detected along the path of the plane, but there are no signs of a missile launch, they said.
- Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny called the crash “a terrorist attack.” Navalny said Putin had “arranged to kill his soldier Prigozhin.”
- Navalny’s statement follows widespread speculation that the Wagner boss’s presumed death was a revenge killing ordered by the Kremlin in response to Prigozhin’s short-lived mutiny two months ago, the most serious challenge to Putin’s rule in decades.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied Ukraine’s involvement in the crash.
More live updates here.
Who was on the crashed Russian plane’s passenger list?
Russian aviation officials said all 10 people on board an Embraer private jet that crashed Wednesday afternoon near Russia’s Tver region were killed.
According to Russia’s air transport agency, the list of passengers included Yevgeniy Prigozhin, though it was not immediately clear whether the chief of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group who led a short-lived challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rule in June was onboard when it went down.
Also listed on the passenger manifest: Dmitry Utkin, who has been referred to as Prigozhin’s right-hand man, and another close associate, Valeriy Yevgenyevich Chekalov. There were three crew members and seven passengers listed onboard the plane.
Read the full list of passengers here.
Russian aviation officials said all 10 people on board an Embraer private jet that crashed Wednesday afternoon near Russia’s Tver region were killed.
According to Russia’s air transport agency, the list of passengers included Yevgeniy Prigozhin, though it was not immediately clear whether the chief of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group who led a short-lived challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s rule in June was onboard when it went down.
Also listed on the passenger manifest: Dmitry Utkin, who has been referred to as Prigozhin’s right-hand man, and another close associate, Valeriy Yevgenyevich Chekalov. There were three crew members and seven passengers listed onboard the plane.
Read the full list of passengers here.
Somber scenes in Kyiv mark Ukraine’s Independence Day and 18 months of war
he 6-year-old boy walked up to President Volodymyr Zelensky, his small hands outstretched to accept a medal on behalf of his father — a Ukrainian soldier killed in action last year.
It was a quiet moment that seemed to convey the grief of all of Ukraine as the country marked 32 years of independence on Thursday with a somber morning ceremony outside one of Kyiv’s most famous cathedrals. Thursday also marked the 18-month anniversary of the war, and the mood in the capital felt more subdued than celebratory, as soldiers and civilians reflected on the loss and violence that have defined their world since Russia invaded in February 2022.
Zelensky spoke of unity and insisted the country “will not let Ukrainian independence slip out of Ukrainian hands.” People walked through the streets dressed in vyshyvankas — traditional embroidered shirts — and visited a new display of seized Russian military hardware.
Read the full story here.
he 6-year-old boy walked up to President Volodymyr Zelensky, his small hands outstretched to accept a medal on behalf of his father — a Ukrainian soldier killed in action last year.
It was a quiet moment that seemed to convey the grief of all of Ukraine as the country marked 32 years of independence on Thursday with a somber morning ceremony outside one of Kyiv’s most famous cathedrals. Thursday also marked the 18-month anniversary of the war, and the mood in the capital felt more subdued than celebratory, as soldiers and civilians reflected on the loss and violence that have defined their world since Russia invaded in February 2022.
Zelensky spoke of unity and insisted the country “will not let Ukrainian independence slip out of Ukrainian hands.” People walked through the streets dressed in vyshyvankas — traditional embroidered shirts — and visited a new display of seized Russian military hardware.
Read the full story here.
Russian plane crash debris points away from accident, experts say
Aviation experts broadly agreed Thursday that the business jet reportedly carrying Wagner Group leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin and other top members of the mercenary outfit experienced a catastrophic structural failure when it crashed Wednesday and evidence points away from a simple mechanical problem or human error.
But experts also cautioned that it’s too early and evidence is too limited to conclusively explain what happened. The crash’s cause might not ever be conclusively known.
Two U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss preliminary findings, told The Washington Post on Thursday that early intelligence pointed to the possibility of an onboard explosion. They said there is no indication so far that the aircraft was downed by a missile.
Read the full story here.
Aviation experts broadly agreed Thursday that the business jet reportedly carrying Wagner Group leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin and other top members of the mercenary outfit experienced a catastrophic structural failure when it crashed Wednesday and evidence points away from a simple mechanical problem or human error.
But experts also cautioned that it’s too early and evidence is too limited to conclusively explain what happened. The crash’s cause might not ever be conclusively known.
Two U.S. officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss preliminary findings, told The Washington Post on Thursday that early intelligence pointed to the possibility of an onboard explosion. They said there is no indication so far that the aircraft was downed by a missile.
Read the full story here.
‘General Armageddon’ replaced in Russia, state media reports
Russian Gen. Sergei Surovikin, who once led the overall operation in Ukraine and is known by the grim nickname “General Armageddon” for his effectiveness, has been removed from his position as Air Force commander in an apparent Kremlin purge of officials with links to the Wagner mercenary group that staged a short-lived rebellion in late June.
On Wednesday, state news agency RIA Novosti cited “an informed source” who said Surovikin had been “relieved of his post” and replaced by Col. Gen. Viktor Afzalov, the Air Force chief of staff, marking the first time official Russian sources reported on Surovikin’s status.
For weeks, speculation swirled about the general’s whereabouts, as he has not been seen since he recorded an address urging Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin, whose bitter feud with Russian top brass has spilled into open confrontation, to stop his fighters from marching on Moscow on June 24.
Read the full story here.
Russian Gen. Sergei Surovikin, who once led the overall operation in Ukraine and is known by the grim nickname “General Armageddon” for his effectiveness, has been removed from his position as Air Force commander in an apparent Kremlin purge of officials with links to the Wagner mercenary group that staged a short-lived rebellion in late June.
On Wednesday, state news agency RIA Novosti cited “an informed source” who said Surovikin had been “relieved of his post” and replaced by Col. Gen. Viktor Afzalov, the Air Force chief of staff, marking the first time official Russian sources reported on Surovikin’s status.
For weeks, speculation swirled about the general’s whereabouts, as he has not been seen since he recorded an address urging Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin, whose bitter feud with Russian top brass has spilled into open confrontation, to stop his fighters from marching on Moscow on June 24.
Read the full story here.