Sergey Surovikin is a tough player in the Russian military.
Sulovikin was born in 1966, graduated from Omsk Higher Command School in 1987, and directly joined the Soviet army. At the beginning, he caught up with the war in Afghanistan, became a platoon leader, led troops to fight guerrilla warfare in the mountains, and handled border patrols.
At that time, the Soviet army was struggling enough in Afghanistan, and he also accumulated actual combat experience.
In August 1991, during the events in Moscow, his troops participated in street operations, and then continued to climb upwards.In 1995, he entered the Volongsi Military Academy to study tactical command, and then went to the Tajikistan Civil War, organized border defense, and managed patrol.
In the 2000s, he ascended to the level of commander, participated in the Second Chechen War, with troops fighting around Grodno, coordinating artillery and air support.In 2004, commanded the capture of rebels' heads, troops siege buildings, and clean up the remaining enemies.
In 2013, Sulovikin became commander of the Eastern Military Region and was in charge of the Siberian exercises, with tanks and missile systems under his command. In March 2017, Surovikin was transferred to Syria as the commander of Russian forces, overseeing air strikes and supply lines.
In November 2019, Surovikin was promoted to commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force, responsible for equipment modernization.
On February 24, 2022, Russia began special military operations in Ukraine. As commander of the Air Force, he coordinated aviation support and destroyed air defense systems. In the early stages, the troops advanced from multiple directions, but encountered obstacles.
On October 8, 2022, Surovikin was appointed commander of the joint forces, responsible for overall operations, focusing on building fortifications, digging trenches, laying mines, and setting up machine gun points in the Zaporizhzhia Plain.
The line of defense was divided into three layers, the first layer of anti-tank tanks and mines, the second layer of crossfire and the third layer of heavy artillery support. The system was later called the "Surovikin Defense Line", covering large areas in the south and east.
In 2023, Ukraine launched a counterattack, advancing with the Leopard 2 tanks, Challenger 2 tanks and M2 Bradley tanks provided by NATO. But the equipment was stuck in front of the line of defense, tanks were trapped and tanks were hit.
Surovikin also changed logistics, dispersed warehouses, night transportation, strengthened guards. The attack incident fell, supplies stabilized, the defense line blocked the Ukrainian advance, and did not let Melitopol be dropped.
Bachmut battles from the summer of 2022 until May 2023, drawing saws consuming Ukrainian resources. Harkov, Igum and Redlemann, the Ukrainian counter the Russian troops withdrawal, but he reorganized the line of defense and adjusted the railway transport.
Surovikin's command was prominent among the Russian generals, strategically focused on defense and consumption of warfare. The equipment against NATO aid showed ability. Some people felt he had the potential to expand Russian influence and a high position in the military boundary.
On January 11, 2023, Sourovikin became deputy commander and continued to participate in the planning.
On June 23, 2023, the Wagner incident broke out. He supported the central government, but due to his contact with Wagner, he disappeared from public view afterwards. The media reported that he was detained for investigation, but it was not publicly confirmed.
On August 23, 2023, Surovikin was removed from his position as Air Force Commander and replaced by Viktor Afalov on a temporary basis.
On September 10, 2023, he was appointed chairman of the Coordination Committee on Air Defense of the Council of Ministers of Defense of the CIS, which includes Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, covering a large area of Eurasia.
The job is to integrate air defense resources in the face of NATO’s F-16, French Fantasy 2000 and American F-15, as well as the threat of the Bulldog and AGM-158 missiles. He planned multi-layer networks, long-range radar, medium-range missiles, short-range artillery systems, and simulated exercises to deal with invisible targets.
In May 2025, he appeared in Algeria, where Russian embassy photos showed him participating in Victory Day activities and looked slightly thin. British intelligence said he was the head of a Russian military expert group, working at the embassy.
On June 13, 2025, Russia officially appointed him as the head of military adviser to Algeria, leading expert groups, inspecting bases, negotiating cooperation agreements, deploying troops in the desert, and operating air defense systems.
This chess is Russia’s expanding influence in Africa, and Algeria is an old partner, buying Russian weapons.
As for Putin's successor, this is a matter that the media is much less likely. Surovikin's ability is strong, Putin promoted him, but Wagner subsequently declined. The Russian political circle, the successor is not solitary in the military, must look at balance.
Putin is healthy and re-elected in 2024, and it is too early to discuss his succession.
Surovikin has a reputation in the military, but is politically low and has no public ambition. Some analysts say he has the potential to fight the West and expand power, but the reality is that Russia focuses on Ukraine and surrounding stability.
Surovikin was not the only one, but his defensive line became the symbol. After the Russian military reform, the chain of command was short and decision-making was fast. NATO has many bureaucrats and slow decision-making. When Russia's industry moved to war, there were many tanks and missiles in terms of output.
Russia and Iran and China cooperate to supplement technology.NATO is divided, the United States is busy in the Middle East, and European military spending is tight.
Russia’s layout in Africa and the Middle East, Surovikin’s role in Algeria is an example. Russia sells weapons, signs agreements, exchanges resources. NATO focuses on Europe, and global influence declines.
Russian troops are practical, NATO exercises; the war in Ukraine exposes NATO’s limitations, and aid is weak.
Surovikin is a representative of the Russian military, with strong capabilities, but his successors speak far away. Russia confronts NATO, with practical actions, not with no talk. What happens in the future, we have to look at negotiations and the economy. The Russian military has become stronger, and NATO has to adjust.
References:
Russian media: Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Force Surovikin has been dismissed, his replacement is overseas network 2023-08-23
2. Guan Yao: Sulovikin's whereabouts are a mystery. Is it the West's opposition or Moscow's liquidation? Direct News 2023-06-30