2023-06-24 18:18:00
(Updated at 8:30 p.m.)
The leader of the paramilitary group Wagner Yevgeny Prigojine went into rebellion this Saturday once morest the Kremlin and swears to go ” until the end to bring down the Russian military command, which he accuses of having bombed and killed his mercenaries. ” We will destroy everything that gets in our way Evgeny Prigojine claimed in an audio message on Telegram, which suggests that he might try to take control of other Russian cities.
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For now, the head of Wagner said to hold the headquarters of the Russian army in Rostov, the nerve center of operations in Ukraine, and control several military sites, having crossed the Russian border to his men, so far posted in Ukraine. ” We’re at HQ, it’s 7:30 in the morning Yevgeny Prigozhin said at dawn in a video on Telegram. ” Military sites in Rostov are under control, including the airfield ».
On Saturday, Wagner’s men entered the Lipetsk region 400 kilometers south of Moscow. In the capital, the tension is palpable as security forces have been deployed. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, clarified that Vladimir Putin was still working in the Kremlin.
The mayor of Moscow nevertheless called on residents to limit travel in the city, acknowledging that the situation was “ difficile and by declaring Monday a day off. The Russian region of Kaluga, whose regional capital is 180 km south of Moscow, has imposed travel restrictions in the face of the rebellion.
Wagner calls on the Russians to join him
« The Wagner Group Commands Committee has decided that those with military responsibility for the country must be stopped “, launched the boss of Wagner in an audio message, calling not to oppose “ résistance to his troops. He says he has ” 25,000 fighters and calls on other Russians to join ».
« We are 25,000 and we are going to determine why chaos reigns in the country (…) Our strategic reserves are the whole army and the whole country “, Evguéni Prigojine continued in an audio message, saying he wanted to “ put an end to the mess ».
In response, Vladimir Putin denounced Saturday in a speech at 7 a.m. the ” mortal threat » and the risk of « civil war » that Evguéni Prigojine weighs on Russia, without ever naming him but promising to « to punish ” THE ” traitors who challenge him.
« A stab “, according to Vladimir Putin
« It’s a stab in the back of our country and our people. “, explained Vladimir Putin in an address to the nation. ” What we are facing is nothing but betrayal. A betrayal caused by excessive ambitions and self-interests of Prigojine, he insisted, acknowledging that the situation was « difficile » in Rostov.
In response, the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation for ” army mutiny once morest Wagner. Authorities say they have tightened security measures in Moscow where the “ counter-terrorism operation regime » has just been introduced. The FSB (security forces) urged him Wagner’s fighters to arrest their leader.
Echoing this, the influential Russian general, Sergei Surovikin, appealed to Wagner’s fighters to end their mutiny. ” I (you) ask to stop (…) before it is too late, it is necessary to obey the will and the order of the elected president of Russia “, he said in a video on Telegram.
« We are patriots. No one is going to surrender at the request of the president, the security services or anyone “, retorted Prigojine who attacks for the first time the master of the Kremlin.
Very attentive leaders on the Ukrainian and Western side
« The Kremlin man is obviously very scared and is probably hiding somewhere. I’m sure he’s not in Moscow anymore said Volodymyr Zelensky in his daily address. ” Today the world has seen that the Russian leadership has no control over anything. Nothing at all. It’s total chaos ».
kyiv sees in this rebellion “ a window of opportunity for Ukraine, according to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Maliar. The mutiny of the Wagner group reveals the weakness of Russia, a country plunged into ” evil and chaos noted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, adding that Ukraine was protecting the rest of Europe.
This open war exposed the Russian army and Wagner’s mercenaries, indispensable auxiliaries to Moscow’s war in Ukraine. The mutiny is likely to leave traces on the Russian side, and might influence the course of the fighting if the Russian camp is disunited.
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In Washington, the White House said it was monitoring the situation closely. ” The President is monitoring the situation closely. We remain focused on supporting Ukraine “, also indicated the Elysée in a press release. In London, the Russian opponent in exile and businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky is pushing Westerners to support Yevgeny Prigojine to fight the regime of Vladimir Putin. ” Yes, even the devil would have to help him if he decided to go once morest this diet! “, he wished on Telegram. G7 foreign ministers also met on Saturday to “ exchange views on the situation in Russia ».
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