General Armageddon is seen for the first time since he was fired by Putin for being too close to assassinated coup leader Yevgeny Prigozhin

• General Sergei ‘Armageddon’ Surovikin was seen for the first time in two months
• He reportedly had advance knowledge of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s attempted coup
• He was given his nickname for his cruelty and aggressive approach to warfare 

Russia’s most feared general has been spotted for the first time since Vladimir Putin fired him for being too close to now-dead coup leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

A new picture seemingly shows General Sergei ‘Armageddon’ Surovikin walking with his wife, 50-year-old Anna, near his palatial home in Moscow.

General Surovikin, 56, had not been seen for more than two months since Yevgeny Prigozhin attempted to throw Putin out of power by marching towards Moscow with his Wagner forces. 

A New York Times report based on US intelligence claimed that Surovikin had advance knowledge of Prigozhin’s attempted coup in June, though the Kremlin strenuously denied this at the time.  

Putin fired Surovikin as head of aerospace forces two weeks ago. The general is believed to have been held in custody in the Lefortovo military prison, and likely faced interrogation over his relationship with Prigozhin. 

Some experts even claimed that Surovikin, who was given his nickname due to his cruelty and aggressive approach to warfare, was dead, as reliable sources said that his wife and family had not seen him for weeks.   

General Sergei ‘Armageddon’ Surovikin (pictured left) was seen walking with his wife, Anna (pictured), in Moscow

Putin reportedly had him arrested and interrogated to see whether he knew anything about Yevgeny Prigozhin’s attempted coup

Fuelling further speculation about his wellbeing, on Monday Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu refused to answer questions about Surovikin and whether Russia is criminally investigating him. 

In June, the head of the Russian parliament’s defence committee, Andrei Kartapolov, was heard saying in a video that Surovikin was ‘currently resting’, adding that he was ‘not available’ at the time. 

The top-level commander was briefly in charge of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine until Putin removed responsibility from him in January, handing it to the current armed forces chief, General Valery Gerasimov. 

Analysts have noted his cruelty towards perceived enemies of Russia.  

The couple were seen walking near their home in Moscow, two months after Surovikin was last seen

Russian media reported in 2004 that a colonel serving under General Armageddon committed suicide after receiving a heated reprimand from him

Under his watch, Russia’s forces launched rocket attacks against civilians in Ukraine, with one such attack blowing up a major road junction near a children’s playground and a university. 

Despite his cruelty, he was described as one of the few people in the Russian army who knew ‘how to oversee and streamline different army branches.’

Gleb Irisov, a former air force lieutenant who worked with Surovikin up to 2020, told the Guardian at the time of his appointment as leader of Russia’s invasion: ‘He is very cruel but also a competent commander.’

Another former defence ministry official told the newspaper at the time: ‘Surovikin is absolutely ruthless, with little regard for human life. I am afraid his hands will be completely covered in Ukrainian blood.’ 

Surovikin was also in charge of ‘defending’ Moscow’s interests in Syria. According to a 2020 Human Rights Watch report, Russian forces under his command attacked Syrian ‘homes, schools, healthcare facilities, and markets – the places where people live, work, and study.’

Even people who could be considered friends or allies of Russia aren’t safe. 

Russian media reported in 2004 that a colonel serving under General Armageddon committed suicide after receiving a heated reprimand from him. 

The general first shot to notoriety in the early 1990s during an attempted coup against Gorbachev by communist hardliners. 

He led a rifle division that drove through barricades erected by pro-democracy protesters. Three men were killed in the clash, including one who was crushed. 

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