NYT: The deputy commander of the Russian army Surovikin knew about Prigozhinʼs rebellion in advance

The deputy commander of the occupying forces Serhiy Surovikin knew in advance about the plans of the leader of the PMC "Wagner" Yevgeny Prigozhin to start a rebellion in Russia.

This is reported by The New York Times with reference to American officials familiar with the intelligence.

Now the US is trying to find out if General Surovikin helped organize the riot. According to American officials, there are indications that other Russian generals may also have supported Prigozhinʼs idea to forcefully change the leadership of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Current and former American officials have said that Prigozhin would not have launched the mutiny if he did not believe that high-ranking army officers would support him. Now Putin has to decide whether he believes in Surovikinʼs help to Prigozhin, and how to react to it.

Currently, Surovikin is the deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine. If Putin finds evidence that Surovikin supported the rebellion, he will have no choice but to remove him from command, US officials and analysts say.

After the beginning of the rebellion, Surovikin opposed and called on the Russian troops in Ukraine to remain in their positions and not to join the rebellion.

A former US official called the message similar to a "hostage video". According to him, Surovikinʼs body language indicated that he was uncomfortable condemning a former ally who shares his views on the Russian military leadership.

High-ranking American officials suggest that the alliance between Sergei Surovikin and Yevgeny Prigozhin could explain why Prigozhin is still alive, despite the capture of Rostov-on-Don and the armed march on Moscow.

The USA is interested in undermining the authority of General Surovikin. American officials consider him more competent and ruthless than other members of the Russian command. Washington is confident that its removal will benefit Ukraine.

• On the evening of June 23, the founder of the Russian PMC Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin accused the Russian military of hitting the mercenary rear camp, "a huge number of fighters died." The command for the destruction of the PMC "Wagner" was allegedly given by Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov after a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Prigozhin informed about the beginning of the "march of justice", took control of Rostovʼs military facilities, including the airfield, and the "Wagnerians" began to move towards Moscow.
• On the evening of June 24, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus Oleksandr Lukashenko agreed with Prigozhin "about the inadmissibility of unleashing a bloody massacre on the territory of Russia." Then Prigozhin informed that they were disbanding the columns and returning to the field camps. After that, it became known that Prigozhin would go to Belarus (Ukraine was assured that there was no threat of an attack by the "Wagnerians" from the north).
• On June 26, Yevgeny Prigozhin stated that he started the mutiny in Russia because the local authorities wanted to liquidate the PMC from July 1 and transfer the fighters to the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
• According to CNN, US intelligence officials believe that Prigozhin had long been planning to seriously challenge the Russian military leadership, but it is unclear what his ultimate goal was.