General Armageddon ‘missing’ as Vladimir Putin starts purge of top military staff

The 56-year-old has not been seen since late June amid increasing fears he could be dead following two weeks of silence and missing his wife’s birthday.

Surovikin was reportedly arrested and put under interrogation following the Wagner Group’s coup.

He was rumoured to have had prior knowledge of Prigozhin’s plot.

Deputy Defence Minister Yevkurov was absent from a televised appearance of Russia’s military leadership.

Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov are also feared to be missing in action.

Local media outlet The Moscow Times suggested General Gerasmov has been replaced by Colonel-General Mikhail Teplinskiy.

Gerasimov is believed to remain in overall charge of the Russian armed forces but lost overall responsibility of the invasion of Ukraine to Teplinskiy.

The Russian President managed to see off the Wagner Group’s attempted coup following last-minute negotiations with ally-turned-critic Prigozhin.

Around 25,000 mercenary troops moved unimpeded from the Ukrainian border to Rostov-on-Don.

The Wagner Group then advanced to within just 120 miles of Moscow.

The Kremlin announced Prigozhin would head to Belarus in exchange for a pardon from charges of treason.

The deal, which was brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, also provided a multi-million payout in exile.

However, Belarus' leader appeared to suggest Prigozhin’s stint in exile did not last long.

Speaking on Thursday, Lukashenko said: "As for Prigozhin, he's in St Petersburg. He is not on the territory of Belarus."

The UK’s Ministry of Defence has claimed the Kremlin has been looking to bolster Putin’s position since the Wagner Group’s aborted coup.

An intelligence update by the MoD said: “Narratives promoted the idea that President Vladimir Putin had triumphed by thwarting the insurrection, while avoiding bloodshed, and sought to unite the country behind the president.

“Nearly a week later, the state started to play down the significance of Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin and the mutiny, while tarnishing his character.

“Wagner Telegram channels have largely gone silent, almost certainly due to state intervention.

“By contrast, Putin has undertaken unusually prominent public engagements, almost certainly aiming to project strength.”