UK intelligence: Prigozhin’s “abortive insurrection” has worsened the split in Russian national security system

After the armed rebellion of Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner group, Generals Sergey Surovikin and Yunus-bek Yevkurov did not appear in public.

The intelligence review of the British Ministry of Defense as of July 5 argues it indicates a sign of a split in the Russian national security system, Rubryka reports. 

British analysts drew attention to the disappearance of two Russian generals – Sergey Surovikin and Yunus-bek Yevkurov.

British intelligence emphasized that the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Surovikin, did not appear in public after the Wagner mutiny, and Yevkurov was not present at the meeting of the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense on July 3, which was broadcast on television.

The agency recalled that Yevkurov's conversation with Prigozhin was caught on video during the group's seizure of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don.

British experts do not confirm the data that Surovikin has been arrested. However, he may be under suspicion due to his long-term ties to Wagner, dating back to his service in Syria in 2017.

British intelligence calls Surovikin one of the most authoritative officers in the Russian army. Analysts say any official sanctions against him will likely cause a split.

"The suspicion that has potentially fallen on senior serving officers highlights how Prigozhin's abortive insurrection has worsened existing fault lines within Russia's national security community," the report emphasizes.

What happened to Wagner?

On June 23, Wagner owner and chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed that the Russian army had attacked Wagner's rear positions, causing "many soldiers" to die. In response, he announced a "campaign" to Rostov-on-Don and then to Moscow to "deal with lawlessness in the army" and Russian defense minister Shoigu.

In the end, on the evening of June 24, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Aleksander Lukashenko, said that the owner of the Wagner company, in a conversation with Lukashenko, had agreed to stop the movement of mercenaries on the territory of the Russian Federation.

The Kremlin announced that the criminal case against Yevgeny Prigozhin would be dropped, and he would "go to Belarus." The authorities will not prosecute the Wagner mercenaries for attempted mutiny. The guarantee that Prigozhin will be able to go to Belarus "is the word of the President of Russia."

Putin once again called Ukraine the real enemy and offered the Wagnerians three options for action: continue to "serve Russia" by signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense or other Russian special services, retire and go home, and go to Belarus.

As Rubryka reported, on July 1, the Russian Federation launched a campaign against the Wagnerites. On the air of the Russian propaganda "First Channel," it was reported about the inefficiency of the Wagner anti-tank missile system compared to the soldiers of the Russian Federation.