Armed Rebellion Attempt by Russian Wagner Chief
Armed Rebellion Attempt by Russian Wagner Chief
Wagner Leader Calls for Rebellion
On Friday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the private military contractor Wagner, called for an armed rebellion aimed at ousting Russia's military leadership.
The Washington Post points out that Prigozhin called for Russians to join Wagner’s campaign after claiming that a Wagner camp in Ukraine had been attacked “from the rear” by Russia’s military.
According to Reuters, President Vladimir Putin, in response to the first significant threat to his 23-year rule, made a resolute promise to quash an armed mutiny, drawing a comparison to Russia's Civil War that took place a century ago.
Map by The New York Times tracked the military convoys that approached Moscow.
Rebels Approach Moscow
Russia's Federal Security Service late Friday opened a criminal case against Prigozhin, accusing him of “incitement to armed rebellion”.
As reported by Al Jazeera, Prigozhin stated on Saturday that his fighters had entered the Russian border city of Rostov-on-Don from Ukraine. They claimed control over various military facilities in the city, including the airfield.
Reuters notes that as the rebels approached Moscow, the city's authorities implemented heightened security measures. The mayor of Moscow urged people to refrain from unnecessary travel. Increased security presence was evident on the streets, with Red Square barricaded by metal barriers.
Prigozhin's Alleged Motives
According to Al Jazeera, Prigozhin also claimed Wagner shot down a Russian army helicopter after it allegedly opened fire on Wagner troops. At the time, the information could not be independently verified.
Prigozhin alleged that his men were on a "march for justice" to remove corrupt and incompetent commanders responsible for the perceived failures in the war in Ukraine.
Prigozhin vehemently rejected accusations of treason and emphasizes his commitment to the country's welfare, aiming to combat corruption, deceit, and bureaucracy.
Prigozhin Orders Troops to Turn Back
As per the most recent update from Reuters, it has been reported that Prigozhin has instructed his advancing troops towards Moscow to reverse their course, expressing his desire to prevent the loss of Russian lives.
The Telegraph notes that Prigozhin will relocate to Belarus as stipulated by an agreement that has been reached with President Putin.
Belarus's President Alexander Lukashenko, who has known Prigozhin personally for about 20 years, as pointed out by The Telegraph, offered to mediate the situation and has brokered the relocation arrangement.