Key takeaways:
- U.S. officials said General Valery Gerasimov and General Alexander Surovikin had “advance knowledge” of the plans to rebel against Russia’s military leadership.
- Reports citing U.S. officials have added fuel to the fire.
- President Vladimir Putin is reportedly attempting to reassert his authority in the wake of the failed mutiny.
Russia’s top military generals have been absent from the public eye following a failed mutiny attempt by mercenaries, leading to speculation that the lack of armed resistance may have been due to support from the top brass.
The New York Times previously reported that U.S. officials said General Valery Gerasimov and General Alexander Surovikin had “advance knowledge” of the plans to rebel against Russia’s military leadership. Gerasimov is the commander of Russia’s war in Ukraine and the holder of one of Russia’s three “nuclear briefcases”, according to some Western military analysts.
U.S. officials told Reuters that Surovikin was sympathetic to the rebellion, though Western intelligence did not know with certainty if he had helped in any way. Reports citing U.S. officials have added fuel to the fire.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the reports about Surovikin as “speculation and gossip”. It is unclear if the generals have been arrested, and NBC News has not been able to confirm the reports.
President Vladimir Putin is reportedly attempting to reassert his authority in the wake of the failed mutiny. It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and what role the top military generals will play in the future.
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