Gerasimov Appears In Public For First Time Since Prigozhin's Revolt

• 10.07.2023, 12:24

The meeting with the head of the Russian General Staff may have been staged.

In the morning of July 10, the Russian Defence Ministry published an excerpt of a recording from a meeting at the headquarters of the joint grouping of troops, which was attended by Valery Gerasimov, head of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, writes Verstka. This came amid rumours of Gerasimov's dismissal from duty.

In the video published by the Russian defence ministry, Gerasimov heard a report from Viktor Afzalov, chief of the main staff of the Russian Air and Space Forces.

At the same time, Sergei Surovikin, commander-in-chief of the Air Force, was not present in the footage, speculation about his possible detention having emerged after the mutiny of mercenaries of the Wagner PMC, an internationally recognised criminal organisation. Surovikin was also not sitting in the presidium with Gerasimov, although he is his deputy in charge of Russian troops in Ukraine. Thus, Surovikin has not appeared in public for 11 days, notes Verstka.

According to "Gordon", the adviser to the head of the Interior Ministry Anton Gerashchenko is sure that Gerasimov was shown to refute the statements that he had been dismissed after the mutiny, and that the duties of the commander of the joint grouping of troops are performed by General Mikhail Teplinsky.

"Look for yourself: here he is, sitting alive, rustling papers, hearing reports, setting tasks. There's only one question: why was the report 'on destroying four Ukrainian ballistic targets' presented by Afzalov, chief of the main staff of the Air Force, and not personally by the commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force?" he asked