06/28/2023 03:26 pm (act. 06/28/2023 03:30 pm)
Lukashenko poses as Putin’s adviser ©APA/Presidential Press Service of Belarus
The Kremlin dismissed a US media report as “speculation” that Russia’s deputy chief of staff, Sergei Surovikin, had prior knowledge of mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s uprising plan. “Now there are many different speculations and gossip around these events,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying on Wednesday by Russian news agencies. “I think it’s an example of that.”
The army and the population “all supported the president (Vladimir Putin) during the uprising,” Peskov said. The American newspaper “New York Times” had previously reported, citing US security circles, that Surovikin knew in advance about the Wagner Group uprising. US officials now wanted to find out whether the army general could have helped with the plan. The newspaper also writes that, according to information from the American secret services, there are indications that other Russian generals may have knowledge of Prigozhin’s plans. According to the report, US officials believe that Prigozhin would not have launched his insurgency had he not believed that others would come to his aid.
Surovikin is considered an ally of Prigozhin, but he allied himself with the power apparatus in Moscow on Saturday night. In a video message, Surovikin called Prigozhin to end the power struggle.
Putin could keep Surovikin if the president came to the conclusion that Surovikin just knew about the plans but didn’t help Prigozhin. High-ranking US officials also suspected that an alliance between Surovikins and Prigozhin might explain why Prigozhin was still alive after the uprising, the New York Times continued.
Meanwhile, Wagner’s boss Prigozhin occupied the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don on Saturday, then marched his fighters towards Moscow. He surprisingly gave up about 200 kilometers from the Russian capital. Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko mediated the conflict. Putin assured Prigozhin and his mercenaries of impunity. According to Lukashenko, Prigozhin has already arrived in Belarus.