Sergey Surovikin. AP
Russian Invasion|Russian Reactions
Russian silence broken: "Surovikin is not caught"
The top Russian general, Sergei Surovikin, has not been arrested. This is what Aleksej Melnikov, who leads a Russian supervisory authority for detention, writes on Telegram according to CNN.
"My answer is: He is neither in Lefortovo nor any other detention center."
It is the first comment from Russian authorities after sources told several media outlets, both independent Russian and international, that the general had been arrested.
One of them told the Moscow Times that the authorities "seized" Surovikin, who goes by the nickname "General Armageddon", after he sided with Wagner leader Prigozhin during the weekend revolt.
CNN has also obtained documents indicating that Surovikin was a "secret VIP member" of the Wagner group.
Surovikin and Prigozhin have long had close ties, and among other things served in Syria together.
Sergei Surovikin and Vladimir Putin. Alexei Druzhinin / AP
More sources: Surovikin may have been arrested
More and more sources state that the top Russian general Sergei Surovikin should have been arrested just days after the Wagner group's uprising in Russia. The AP news agency has spoken to two sources who refer to American and Ukrainian intelligence services.
Surovikin has not been seen since Friday, when he posted a video calling on Yevgeny Prigozhin to end the uprising.
Sources to the Moscow Times have previously stated that Surovikin was arrested after taking Prigozhin's side during the weekend's drama. Russia has not officially commented on what happened to the top general.
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