Two Russian News Agencies: General Armageddon Dismissed from Command of Russian Air Force

Two Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday, September 1, that Sergey Surovikin, nicknamed 'General Armageddon', has been dismissed from his position as commander of the Russian Air Force. This dismissal occurred after he had been out of the public eye for a period during the Wagner mercenaries' rebellion against senior Russian military officials. According to Reuters, Sergey Surovikin, who has received the highest military award in Russia, is considered the highest-ranking military figure in the country. He lost his job following the rebellion on June 23 and 24 of this year, which, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin, could have plunged the country into a civil war. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner group who led the rebellion, is now free. On Monday, August 21, he released a video message stating that he was filming in Africa. Yevgeny Prigozhin sought to remove Sergey Shoigu, the Minister of Defense, and Valery Gerasimov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Army, from their positions. Meanwhile, the news of Sergey Surovikin's dismissal, who was once the commander of Russia's military operations in Ukraine and recognized as one of the most effective commanders by both Russian and Western military experts, has not been officially announced. However, the Russian state news agency RIA cited an anonymous informed source stating that Sergey Surovikin, the former commander of the Russian Air and Space Forces, has been dismissed from his position. The RBC news agency also reported, citing two anonymous but informed sources, that Sergey Surovikin has been dismissed. These two agencies also stated that Sergey Surovikin has been appointed to another job but is currently on leave. They added that he has also lost his position as deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine. Reuters could not independently verify these reports, and no immediate official confirmation was available. The report of Sergey Surovikin's dismissal indicates that Russian officials are dissatisfied with his behavior during the Wagner group's rebellion, and it seems that the Russian government is trying to remove anyone associated with or close to this group from their positions. An Ukrainian official stated that Russian bombardments left 5 dead and 3 injured. Continued counterattacks against Russia; Ukrainian soldiers entered the strategic village of 'Robotyne'. Verification; contrary to claims by Russia and China, their military cooperation is a confrontation with the West. Lukashenko: Belarus will use Russian nuclear weapons in case of 'external aggression'. The British Ministry of Defense: The Kremlin may no longer financially support the Wagner group. Russia warns against military intervention in Niger.