Top Russian army general and deputy commander of the Russian invasion of Ukraine Sergei Surovikin has been detained and questioned over the mutiny of the private military company Wagner, The Moscow Times reported on June 28, citing two sources close to the defence ministry who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Surovikin has not been seen in public since Saturday,  The Moscow Times said.

Sources later told the Financial Times that Surovikin's arrest was part of a purge by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin of the top of the security services, as he looks to restore his dominance after the short-lived coup attempt by Yevgeny Prigozhin.

After the unprecedented coup attempt by Wagner, the leader of the military company  Yevgeny Prigozhin said on June 26 that he was not trying to seize power with his armed uprising at the weekend, but only protesting against the “ineffective” conduct by Russia’s military command. Surovikin is “known to have a good relationship with Wagner’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin”, according to a report in the Financial Times on June 29.

It is unclear whether Surovkin has been charged or is simply detained for interrogation as a witness, but The Moscow Times indicated that the general was in trouble.

"The situation with him was not 'OK'. For the authorities. I can't say anything more," one of its sources said.

According to the second source, the arrest was carried out "in the context of Prigozhin."

"Apparently, he [Surovikin] chose Prigozhin's side during the uprising, and they've gotten him by the balls," the source said.

But Bloomberg and independent investigative outlet IStories said the general had been questioned and then released.

Surovkin, dubbed “General Armageddon” for his brutal tactics as the then commander of Russian forces in Syria, was appointed the chief commander of the Russian army in Ukraine in October 2022, but has been since demoted.

People familiar with the matter also said Surovikin, like many in Russia’s security establishment, knew about Prigozhin’s plans in advance, but had not been among the plotters, according to the Financial Times.

Putin is now trying to reassert his battered authority.

“Putin knew about [Prigozhin’s uprising plans] in advance, as we understand, and so could prepare to a certain extent,” an unnamed Western government official told the Financial Times, adding that “he was able to see who did what on that day. And he’s now cleaning [the] house”.