Knives Out: Russia’s Military Command, Post-Mutiny
In the wake of last month’s mutiny by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian authorities have been shuffling, demoting, detaining, and dismissing some military commanders. Here’s what we know about who’s who and where they are.
Known status:
Incumbent
Not seen since mutiny
Dismissal/removal from command rumored or reported
Killed in Ukraine
May be dismissed or demoted
Vladimir Putin
Russian President
Sergei Shoigu
Defense Minister
General
Valery Gerasimov
Chief of General
Staff
Colonel General
Mikhail Mizintsev**
Deputy Defense Minister
General
Sergei Surovikin
Former Ukraine theater commander
Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU)
Southern Military District
Lieutenant General
Vladimir Alekseyev
Former Deputy Director
Airborne
Forces (VDV)
Colonel General
Sergei Kuzovlev
Commander
Colonel General
Mikhail Teplinsky*
Overall commander
Lieutenant General
Oleg Tsokov
Deputy Commander
7th Guards Airborne Division
106th Guards Airborne Division
Major General
Aleksandr
Kornev*
Commander
Major General
Vladimir Selivyorstov*
Commander
58th Combined Arms Army
Major General
Ivan Popov
Commander
*Not officially confirmed.
**Removed in April 2023.
Known status:
Incumbent
Not seen since mutiny
Dismissal/removal from command rumored or reported
Killed in Ukraine
May be dismissed or demoted
Vladimir Putin
Russian President
Sergei Shoigu
Defense Minister
General
Valery Gerasimov
Chief of General
Staff
Colonel General
Mikhail Mizintsev**
Deputy Defense Minister
General
Sergei Surovikin
Former Ukraine theater commander
Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU)
Airborne Forces (VDV)
Southern Military District
Lieutenant General
Vladimir Alekseyev
Former Deputy Director
Colonel General
Mikhail Teplinsky*
Overall commander
Colonel General
Sergei Kuzovlev
Commander
Lieutenant General
Oleg Tsokov
Deputy Commander
7th Guards Airborne Division
106th Guards Airborne Division
Major General
Aleksandr Kornev*
Commander
Major General
Vladimir Selivyorstov*
Commander
58th Combined Arms Army
Major General
Ivan
Popov
Commander
*Not officially confirmed.
**Removed in April 2023.
Known status:
Incumbent
Dismissal/removal from
command rumored or reported
Not seen since mutiny
Killed in Ukraine
May be dismissed or demoted
Vladimir Putin
Russian President
Sergei Shoigu
Defense Minister
General
Valery Gerasimov
Chief of General
Staff
General
Sergei Surovikin
Former Ukraine theater commander
Colonel General
Mikhail Mizintsev**
Deputy Defense Minister
Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU)
Airborne Forces (VDV)
Southern Military District
Lieutenant
General
Vladimir Alekseyev
Former Deputy Director
Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky*
Overall commander
Colonel General
Sergei Kuzovlev
Commander
Lieutenant General
Oleg Tsokov
Deputy Commander
7th Guards Airborne Division
106th Guards Airborne Division
Major General Aleksandr Kornev*
Commander
Major
General
Vladimir Selivyorstov*
Commander
58th Combined Arms Army
Major
General
Ivan
Popov
Commander
*Not officially confirmed.
**Removed in April 2023.