In Russia, Vladimir Putin comes according to the official Russian agencies to visit his General Staff in Rostov-on-the-Don, not far from Ukraine. As a reminder, it is in this regional headquarters that the bulk of the command of operations in Ukraine takes place. On the program, for the Russian president, also commander of the armies, a classic update on in particular the resistance to the Ukrainian counter-offensive. But this “routine visit” may have more meaning.
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This is a trend that has not escaped Russian observers: Vladimir Putin has been much more visible and present on the ground for several weeks. A radical change compared to the spring of 2023 when Putin, very withdrawn from the public space and television channels, then saw the sudden burst the mutiny of the Wagner militia and of Yevgeny Prigozhin end of June.
Criticized in patriotic circles for his lack of firmness and strong decisions, which would have led to mutiny, the Russian president immediately began to multiply across the regions. Here visiting different state companies, there meeting young entrepreneurs, or even going into direct contact with the population as in Dagestan in July.
Support for military leadership
But this trip to Rostov can also be seen as a sign of renewed support for the Russian military leadership and in particular for the Chief of Staff, Valéri Guerassimov. Because it is precisely in Rostov that began the mutiny of Prigojine, who had captured the headquarters for a time and once again demanded the head of Guerassimov and the minister Sergei Shoigu. All after months and months of invective. However, the two men finally kept their seats.
One absent, however, in the images released this morning by the Ria Novosti agency: the very important general Sergueï Sourovikine, who is said to be still in the interrogation phase by the FSB and isolated from the troops, for his supposed support for Evguéni Prigojine.