Putin’s General Armageddon ARRESTED after mysteriously vanishing in ‘Kremlin purge’ amid claims he was in on Wagner coup

VLADIMIR Putin's "General Armageddon" has reportedly been arrested amid claims he was in on the Wagner Group's armed revolt.

General Sergey Surovikin - renowned for his merciless manoeuvres - has known links to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner mercenary army chief behind Saturday's rebellion.

US officials said Surovikin had advance knowledge of the warlord's plans to rebel against Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of the armed forces General Valery Gerasimov over the dismal war in Ukraine, the reports.

The Moscow Times later reported that sources within the Defence Department had said that Surovikin had been taken into custody.

One source told them: "Apparently he [Surovikin] chose the side [of Prigozhin during the rebellion] and they grabbed him by the balls."

The department has not officially commented, with the source adding that details are not even being discussed internally.

Intelligence officials are said to be probing whether the former top Russian commander "helped plan Prigozhin's actions last weekend" which left Russia on the brink of civil war.

American officials said there were signs that other Russian generals may have also supported the Wagner boss.

Rumours are swirling that Surovikin, 56, could be under interrogation over his knowledge of the plot to oust Russia's top military leaders.

The Pro-war Rybar Telegram channel said Surovikin - a commander known for his ruthlessness and brutality - has not been seen since Saturday.

The military-linked channel said: "The whereabouts of ‘General Armageddon’ is not known for certain.

"There is a version that he is under interrogation."

Before vanishing, Surovikin issued a call to Wagner fighters to give up and return to bases "before it is too late".

He revealed he had been ordered back to Moscow from the frontline as Prigozhin launched his so-called "march for justice" on the capital.

He said: "We cannot play into the enemy’s hands during this hard time for our country.

"Before it is not too late, it is necessary to obey the order of the popularly-elected president of the Russian Federation."

It's claimed he has not been seen since recording the message.

Responding to the claims that Surovikin was in on the mutiny, the Kremlin said there would be "a lot of speculation" in the aftermath of the events.

"There will now be a lot of speculation, gossip and so on around these events. I think this is one such example," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

In October last year, Surovikin took the reigns of the faltering Russian invasion - but was stripped of the responsibility by Putin in January.

Just one month later, it was claimed that Surovikin and Prigozhin were plotting a coup against Putin.

Details of the coup were leaked to Russian human rights activist Vladimir Osechkin - who said the initial plotting began back in September.

He claimed Prigozhin would use the army of convicts he’s recruited to achieve a breakthrough in the war to bolster his own power.

It comes as junior ranks in the Russian military are reportedly already being purged of those who showed support for Prigozhin's uprising against Putin’s commanders.

Western officials believe this is "chapter one" of a new era for Russia - with potentially Stalin-style purges to come as Putin tries to shore up his weakened rule.

Zelensky's closest adviser, Andriy Yermak, said the "countdown has started" for the end of Putin's time in power.