The Russian authorities appointed Viktor Afzalov as an Acting Commander of the Aerospace Forces (VKS) instead of General Sergei Surovikin.

Source: Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti, citing sources

Quote: "Ex-Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces Sergei Surovikin has now been relieved of his position; Colonel General Viktor Afzalov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Aerospace Forces, is temporarily acting as Commander-in-Chief of the VKS."

Details: Afzalov already served as Acting Commander of the VKS of the Russian Federation when Surovikin commanded the Russian army in Ukraine in October-January.

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Prior to being appointed in 2018 to the position of chief of the Main Headquarters of the Russian Aerospace Forces, Afzalov was the commander of the Air Force and Air Defence of the Eastern Military District of the Russian Federation.

On 22 August, it was revealed that the Russian dictator Putin dismissed Surovikin. It is currently unknown where the former Russian military official is now. The Russians claim that Surovikin is on vacation, although sources say that the general was detained.

Background:

Surovikin chaired the Russian Aerospace Forces from 31 October 2017. He commanded the joint group of Russian troops in Ukraine between October 2022 and January 2023 and served as its deputy commander since 11 January 2023.

During the Wagner Group rebellion on 23-24 June 2023, Surovikin recorded a video message to the mercenaries urging them to return to their places of deployment. He has not appeared in public since then.

The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reported on 13 July that a Russian secret service had detained at least 13 high-ranking military officers, including General Sergei Surovikin, in connection with Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mutiny; 15 officers were suspended or fired.

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