Posted at 8:00 a.m.
Fear the worst ? Why ?
General Sergei Surovikin, 55, has a terrible reputation. His methods are considered brutal and some call him “General Armageddon”, because of his destructive appetite. Where he passes, the grass does not grow back…
Brutal? What do you think ?
His first “feats of arms” date back to 1991, when he was a captain in the Soviet army. The armored column he led broke through the barricades of pro-democracy demonstrators, killing three people, including one crushed by a tank. This act earned him to spend seven months in prison. He was then seen again in Tajikistan, in the second Chechnya war and chief of operations in Syria, where he would have imposed himself as a champion of indiscriminate bombing, which earned him to be denounced by the organization Human Rights Watch. .
We understand. He’s a real tough guy.
See more. A former Russian military official, quoted recently by the Guardian, describes him as “ruthless, with little respect for human life”. A British secret service report, picked up by several media, adds that “for more than 30 years, Sourovikine’s career has been marked by allegations of corruption and brutality”.
Surovikin was also tried for illegal arms sales and was implicated in the suicide of an officer in his own office.
This did not prevent him from experiencing an irresistible rise within the army and being decorated several times. Since 2017, he has been commanding the Russian aerospace forces, which are far from being limited to aviation. “All the intercontinental missiles that are capable of hitting Canada, the United States and anywhere on earth, it is this gentleman who commands them”, summarizes Sergei Jirnov, former KGB spy, author of the book The gear and analyst of the conflict in the French media.
Why did you appoint him as head of the “special operation” in Ukraine?
The Russian army is experiencing difficulties. These problems cause impatience among the pro-Putin elite. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov recently criticized the Russian military command, while deputy and former soldier Andrei Kartapolov publicly called on the army to “stop lying” about its defeats. The attack on the Crimean bridge was the final straw. Surokivin was appointed the same day, in order to take matters into his own hands. A “desperate” gesture on the part of Putin, according to Sergei Jirnov.
What impact on the future?
The impact is already visible. Surovikin is credited with the bombardments of several Ukrainian towns during the week.
Some experts suggest that these strikes could intensify. But for Sergei Jirnov, this is only the “tip of the iceberg”. More alarmist, he believes that the appointment of “General Armageddon” is a step closer to the point of no return.
“Many military experts insist on its brutality, underlines the former agent. But in my opinion, the real event is that Sourovikine has all the keys in hand to press the red button. In my opinion, his appointment announces the big coup, that is to say the use of nuclear weapons on Ukraine. I say this frankly and clearly. Otherwise, why appoint an all-powerful general, who commands the strategic intercontinental nuclear strike forces, to command a local operation on a battlefield that measures 1,000 kilometers? »
A very, very pessimistic scenario then?
It depends for whom. In the Putin camp, we are obviously delighted with this appointment. The Chechen Kadyrov applauded, while Yevgeny Prigojine, founder of the Russian Wagner mercenary army – currently operating in Ukraine – described General Surovikin as “the most competent commander of the Russian army” and as a “legendary figure”, born “to serve his country”.
It remains to be seen how far he will go, out of patriotism.
Sources: The Express, The Guardian, The worldBFMTV, Radio Free Europe, Wikipedia