Gen. Sergei Surovikin, a former commander of Russia’s forces in Ukraine believed to be close to the mercenary warlord Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, was relieved of his duties as the chief of Russia’s Air Force, the Russian state media reported on Wednesday.

The report by RIA Novosti, a Russian state news agency, was the clearest sign yet that the Kremlin has cracked down on General Surovikin after Prigozhin’s brief rebellion in June.

“The ex-commander in chief of the Aerospace Forces of Russia, Sergei Surovikin has now been relieved of his post,” RIA Novosti said. It said that Col Gen. Viktor Afzalov, chief of the air force’s general staff, had been named as the acting commander.

“Surovikin was relieved of his post in connection with the transfer to another job. He is now on a short vacation,” the RIA report added.

Analysts have described General Surovikin, called “General Armageddon” for his ruthless tactics, as a brutally effective leader in the Russian military. But his links to Prigozhin’s Wagner mercenary group, which took over a Russian city and began a march on Moscow in its brief mutiny, appeared to precipitate his fall from grace.

New York Times News Service