General Sergei Surovikin, one of the most prominent leaders of the Russian armed forces, returned to the forefront during an official visit to Algeria after an absence that lasted for several months.
This return to the limelight took place in a context of lack of clarity, as the visit or the objectives behind it weren’t officially announced, as there is no official statement of any kind was issued regarding the visit.
General Surovikin, and during his visit, he went to the Ibn Badis Mosque in Oran in Algeria.
He appeared in photos wearing a brown uniform without any military markings, and he was accompanied by Russian officers in military uniform, in addition to the imam of the mosque, Sheikh Abu Abdullah Zabbar.
Speculation has been rife about the fate of Sergei Surovikin since his disappearance following the Wagner Group’s armed rebellion against the military command in Moscow in June.
According to Russian media, General Surovikin was relieved of his post as commander of the Air and Space Forces in August, two months after the mutiny of the Wagner group, with which he had close ties but did not support.
During the Wagner Group’s 24-hour rebellion that shook Russia, Surovikin called on Wagner to stop and return to their barracks before it’s too late.
General Surovikin was considered close to Wagner commander Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was killed in a plane crash last August.
Despite the ambiguity surrounding General Surovikin’s visit and the goals that may be behind it, he is considered one of the prominent military leaders who held important positions during the wars and military operations launched by Russia, including his participation in the Afghan war and the second war in Chechnya, in addition to his role in Russian military operations in Syria starting in 2015.
General Surovikin also assumed important roles in the on going Russian operation in Ukrainian.
