WHAT CRISIS?

Top Russian General Seen for First Time Since Mutiny Calling for His Head

It appears Valery Gerasimov has remained in his post despite the Wagner leader’s demands.

Valery Gerasimov, the most senior general in Russia, appeared in a video released Monday giving orders to underlings in his first public appearance since a failed Wagner mutiny last month that called for his removal. Moscow’s Defense Ministry said the footage showed Gerasimov on Sunday and described him as the chief of the general staff of Russia’s armed forces and commander of the Kremlin’s forces in Ukraine—the positions he had before the armed rebellion in June. It appears Russian President Vladimir Putin has therefore kept his top two military leaders—Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu—in their respective posts despite the demands of Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, who demanded that both of them be fired.