In the middle of the Ukrainian counter-offensive, the power struggle between the Russian military leadership and the infamous Wagner mercenary group escalated completely. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin announced that he and his mercenary Wagner were controlling all military facilities in the city of Rostov and would march on Moscow if Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valeri Gerasimov did not come to him. Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to address the nation with a speech soon. The country has declared a state of anti-terrorism.
Fighters from Yevgeny Prigozhin’s mercenary group Wagner marched into Russia on Saturday evening, according to Prigozhin. The Wagner boss had previously accused the army of bombing his troops and called on the Russians to revolt against the army command.
At the same time, Prigozhin indicated that his actions did not hinder Russia’s “military special operation” in Ukraine. He had previously stressed that this was not a military coup.
Russia is investigating Prigozhin
Russian law enforcement authorities launched an investigation into Prigozhin on Friday evening for attempted armed insurrection. The domestic secret service FSB called on Prigozhin’s fighters to capture their boss. According to the prosecutor’s office, the 61-year-old faces a prison sentence of twelve to twenty years. He had previously accused the military leadership of attacking a camp owned by his mercenaries with artillery, helicopters and missiles, killing many of his men.
Population is not allowed to leave houses
“Whoever tries to resist us, we will see as a threat and kill immediately,” Prigozhin announced revenge. His troops would “destroy anything” that stood in their way, the mercenary leader warned. According to him, the Wagner mercenaries have already begun to march towards Rostov-on-Don. The headquarters of the Russian military leadership for the south of the country is located there. The governor of Russia’s Rostov region, which borders Ukraine, called on the population to remain calm and, if possible, not to leave their homes. Security measures have also been tightened in the capital Moscow. Armored vehicles even appeared in the city center.
President Putin is aware of all developments, his spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “Necessary measures” would be taken. Putin himself has not yet spoken out on the confusing situation. It is also not clear where Putin is staying.
“Shoigu Bombed Us”
Prigozhin had previously accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of ordering rocket attacks against Wagner’s mercenary camps, which killed dozens of fighters. “There are 25,000 of us,” Prigozhin warned, calling on the Russian population to join his forces. “The evils perpetrated by the country’s military leaders must be stopped.”
The Wagner boss had previously contradicted the Kremlin’s claims that the Ukrainian counter-offensive had failed. “Russian army is retreating to Zaporizhia and Kherson regions, Ukrainian troops are advancing,” Prigozhin said in an online video. The same thing happens in Bachmut.
struggle for power and money
The US government is closely monitoring developments, a spokesman said. “We are monitoring the situation and will coordinate these developments with allies and partners,” said a spokesman for the National Security Council. President Joe Biden is briefed. Rival Russian forces are “tearing each other in the struggle for power and money,” said the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, Kyrylo Budanov.
The Wagner mercenaries, most of whom were recruited from Russian prisons, played a major role in recent months in the protracted and costly conquest of the city of Bakhmut in the eastern Ukrainian region. At the same time, mercenary boss Prigozhin—frustrated by supply problems and, in his view, a lack of support from Moscow—developed into one of the most vehement critics of the Russian military leadership. Again and again he attacked Defense Minister Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov.
Most recently, he even undermined Putin’s justification for the offensive in the neighboring country: “Why did the military special operation begin?” Prigozhin asked, answering himself: “The war was necessary for the self-portrait of a bunch of bastards.”
Khodorkovsky: “This is just the beginning”
The well-known Russian government critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky called on the Russians to support Prigozhin in his fight against the army leadership. “We have to help now, and then we will also fight this (man) if necessary,” the Kremlin critic wrote in online media on Saturday night. “Even the devil” deserves support when he fights against “this regime”. “And yes – this is just the beginning,” wrote the exiled Khodorkovsky.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
