Tag: Yevgeny Prigozhin

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Prigozhin Presumed Dead After Wagner-Linked Media Confirms He Was on Crashed Jet

“It may well be that this crash was not a tragic accident,” said DW Russia bureau chief Juri Rescheto. “He became very important for the Kremlin. He became so powerful he was extremely inconvenient and dared to publicly and loudly doubt the sense of the war in Ukraine.”

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the mercenary Wagner Group, was on a business jet that crashed in Russia on Wednesday, Wagner-linked media said. Russian aviation authorities also said Prigozhin was on the flight.

All 10 people on board – including three crew members – were killed in the crash. Eight bodies were found at the crash site following the first investigations, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

“According to the airline, the following passengers were on board the Embraer – 135 (EBM-135BJ) aircraft:… Prigozhin, Yevgeny,” said Rosaviatsia, Russia’s aviation agency.

Rosaviatsia also said Dmitry Utkin, an associate of Prigozhin and a shadowy figure who managed Wagner’s operations, was also travelling on the plane with the Wagner chief.

Wagner-affiliated Telegram channel Grey Zone confirmed Prigozhin’s death, calling him a hero and a patriot. The post also claimed he had died at the hands of unidentified people it called “traitors to Russia.”

“An investigation has been launched into the Embraer plane crash that occurred tonight in the Tver region. According to the passenger list, among them is the name and surname of Yevgeny Prigozhin,” Rosaviatsia, the Russian civil aviation authority, said regarding the plane’s crashing.

The jet was reportedly en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg when it crashed near the village of Kuzhenkino in Tver, a region over 100 kilometres north of the Russian capital.

The Embraer jet model has only recorded one accident in over 20 years of service, and that was not related to mechanical failure.

“It may well be that this crash was not a tragic accident,” said DW Russia bureau chief Juri Rescheto. “He became very important for the Kremlin. He became so powerful he was extremely inconvenient and dared to publicly and loudly doubt the sense of the war in Ukraine.”

If Prigozhin’s death is confirmed, “I can imagine that the Wagner Group will no longer exist as a fighting force,” Rescheto added.

There have been many questions about Prigozhin’s whereabouts since he led his mercenary soldiers on a short-lived mutiny against Moscow on June 23.

A video, allegedly of Prigozhin, was released just two days ago on Telegram and appeared to show him in Africa. It would be his first video since the abandoned mutiny.

White House: Prigozhin’s death ‘no surprise’

The White House also acknowledged the news and President Joe Biden spoke with reporters candidly on the matter as he was leaving a fitness studio, while on vacation.

“I don’t know for a fact what happened, but I’m not surprised,” Biden said, adding, “there’s not much that happens in Russia that (President) Putin’s not behind. But I don’t know enough to know the answer.”

Mykhailo Podolyak, Ukrainian presidential adviser, reacted to the news on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, saying it was “obvious” Putin would make an example of Prigozhin.

“The demonstrative elimination of Prigozhin and the Wagner command two months after the coup attempt is a signal from Putin to Russia’s elites ahead of the 2024 elections,” Podolyak added.

Polish foreign minister Zbigniew Rau on state news channel TVP Info said Prigozhin’s death could not be a coincidence. “It so happens that political opponents whom Vladimir Putin considers a threat to his power do not die naturally,” he added.

“If true, it shows Putin will eliminate opponents and that scares anyone who is thinking of expressing an opinion different than his,” Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas told CNN.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as they attend the Navy Day parade in St. Petersburg, Russia, July 30, 2017. Photo: Kremlin.ru/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin?

Wagner forces were involved in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, having played a key role in the battle for Bakhmut. However, disputes between the mercenary group and the official Russian army built up until Prigozhin decided to pull his troops out of Ukraine and march on Moscow, taking the key city of Rostov-on-Don in the process.

The 62-year-old had railed against Russia’s military leadership in the months beforehand, verbally attacking defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov in particular. He complained about a lack of supplies for his forces and eventually said that Russian forces had fired on Wagner mercenaries.

The rebellion was brought to an end following negotiations mediated by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko and the agreement that the mercenary leader would go to Belarus with his forces. However, conflicting reports suggested that he left Belarus shortly afterwards.

Russian President Vladimir Putin described Prigozhin’s actions as “treason” in a public address that came hours after the mercenaries began their march.

Prior to that, Prigozhin had been a key ally to Putin, having once served as his private caterer. He used his position to launch numerous businesses, including the Wagner Group.

His open challenge to the Kremlin and the Russian president’s rule was one of the greatest since Putin first came to power over 20 years ago.

Wagner Boss Prigozhin on Board Jet That Crashed With No Survivors: Russian Authorities

Russian authorities said that all ten persons on board the jet were killed. Prigozhin led a failed rebellion against Vladimir Putin in June this year.

New Delhi: Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group that led a failed rebellion against Vladimir Putin in June this year, was on board a private jet that crashed in Russia with no survivors on Wednesday, August 23, according to Russian aviation authorities.

Russian state media agency TASS reported that the Federal Agency for Air Transport of Russia (Rosaviatsiya) has initiated an investigation of the crash of the Embraer plane that happened in the Tver Region on Wednesday. The name Yevgeny Prigozhin was included in the list of passengers of the crashed flight, TASS said.

“An investigation of the Embraer plane crash that happened in the Tver Region this evening was initiated. According to the passenger list, first and last name of Yevgeny Prigozhin was included in this list,” Rosaviatsiya said.

While unconfirmed reports said the jet belonged to the Wagner chief, it was not immediately clear if the 622-year-old Prigozhin was on the plane when it crashed.

According to the BBC, a Wagner-linked Telegram channel had reported that the jet was “shot down by air defences” in the Tver region that is north of Moscow.

TASS had earlier reported that the Embraer aeroplane was on the way from Sheremetyevo to St. Petersburg. “There were three pilots and seven passengers on board. All of them died,” it said.

The incident occurred near Kuzhenkino. “Emergency response services have told TASS that four bodies have been found. The plane reportedly caught fire after hitting the ground and burned up. It had been in flight less than 30 minutes,” the report said.

Mercenaries of the Wagner Group, a private military contractor, were deployed by Russian forces in the invasion of Ukraine, but the relationship between Prigozhin and Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu was thorny. Tensions came to a head after the Wagner chief claimed that a base occupied by his troops was attacked by Russia’s military and on June 23, he began to drive a convoy away from Ukraine and into Russia.

After seizing the Southern Military District headquarters at Rostov-on-Don, Prigozhin marched towards Moscow. Russian President Putin’s warning to “traitors” was hit back by Wagner that there would “be a new Russian president soon”.

As the Wagner convoy was only a couple of hours from the Kremlin, a compromise was brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on June 24. Prighozin received safe passage to Minsk and treason charges against Wagner fighters were dropped. The mercenaries were also integrated into the Russian military.

Until the rebellion, Prighozin was considered a close ally of Putin and even ran “troll factories” that praised the Kremlin and attacked critics.

Note: This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.

Russia Says Modi Expressed Support for Putin’s Steps Following Wagner Mutiny

The phone conversation between the two leaders took place for the first time after the aborted mutiny by the private military company led by Yevgeny Prigozhin and ahead of the forthcoming virtual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.

New Delhi: Russia on Friday, June 30, claimed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi “expressed understanding and support” for President Vladimir Putin’s actions to put down the surprise mutiny by a private army of mercenaries last week.

The phone conversation between the two leaders took place for the first time after the aborted mutiny and ahead of the forthcoming virtual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. Earlier this week, the two National Security Advisors had talked to each other on phone.

The Kremlin claimed that the phone call was “initiated” by India and that the subsequent “conversation was substantiative and constructive”.

While the Russian readout indicated that there was specific discussion over the mutiny of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group, the Indian press statement did not go beyond saying that Putin informed Modi about “recent developments in Russia”.

The Kremlin’s press statement was detailed, claiming that Modi lent support to Putin on the steps taken to quell the unexpected challenge to his authority. 

“In connection with the events of June 24 in Russia, Narendra Modi expressed understanding and support for the decisive actions of the Russian leadership to protect law and order, ensure stability in the country and the security of its citizens,” said the Russian readout.

Last week, Putin’s power was challenged seriously when a column of the Wagner Group, a private army of 25,000 mercenaries led by his former aide Prigozhin, started to march towards Moscow. They ultimately stopped just 200 kilometres from the Russian capital, after the Belarusian president brokered a deal that would send Prigozhin into exile and Moscow agreed not to pursue charges against him.

The Wagner Group had not only been deployed at various conflict hotspots around the world, especially in Africa, but also had a visible combat role in Ukraine. However, as per reports, the group’s contract to fight in the Ukrainian war has not been renewed.

On Ukraine, Modi “reiterated his call for dialogue and diplomacy”, as per the Indian side.

Putin conveyed that there was no opportunity for diplomacy as Ukraine was not taking any steps. “The Russian President gave his assessment of the current state of affairs in the special military operation zone, having stressed Kiev’s utter refusal to undertake political and diplomatic steps to resolve the conflict,” said the Kremlin.

The Russian press note also said that Modi “informed on his international contacts, including ones during his recent visit to Washington”. There was no mention of Modi briefing Putin about his state visit in the Indian press communique.

Last week, Modi had been feted with a state dinner and diplomatic pageantry at Washington, with both sides declaring that it was a breakthrough visit in terms of defence joint production and cooperation in critical technologies.

The Russian president underlined that there should be further “consistent implementation of the major joint projects in various areas and noted with satisfaction substantial growth in trade throughout 2022 and in the first quarter of this year”. 

India’s trade volume with Russia has zoomed substantially, largely due to New Delhi purchasing Russian crude after Western markets closed their doors.

“Both leaders agreed to remain in touch and continue to make efforts to further strengthen Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between the two countries,” said the Indian statement.

Echoing similar language, the Russian press release said that the leaders “reaffirmed their mutual intention to strengthen the special and privileged strategic partnership between Russia and India and agreed to maintain contact”.

Wagner’s Rebellion May Have Been Thwarted, but Putin Has Never Looked Weaker and More Vulnerable

Yevgeny Prigozhin has set a precedent by openly challenging Putin and forcing him to blink. Eventually, Russia’s security forces will realise that they don’t need to submit to Putin’s purges anymore.

It is increasingly clear that a rattled Vladimir Putin’s political end is approaching. All that really matters now is whether it comes sooner or later.

Having appeared on national television to warn of a coup attempt by traitors – and an impending civil war – Putin abruptly reversed his position only a couple of hours later. The Kremlin announced that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief protagonist, would go into exile in Belarus and all charges against him had been dropped.

It’s little wonder that Prigozhin, the one-time hot dog vendor who rose through the ranks of Putin’s patronage to head up the infamous Wagner Group, was at the centre of the political maelstrom.

Chafing for weeks at the requirement for Wagner fighters to integrate into the Russian armed forces, Prigozhin became enraged when a Wagner base was attacked by Russia’s military.

His response was nothing short of extraordinary: to drive a convoy into Russia, swearing to confront defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Russia’s chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov.

After seizing the Southern Military District headquarters at Rostov-on-Don, Prigozhin announced his intention to continue on to Moscow. Once the convoy reached Voronezh, having covered half the distance to the capital largely unmolested, Putin took to the airwaves to vow that anyone who stabbed Russia in the back would be liquidated.

Yevgeny Prigozhin. Photo: Screengrab via YouTube

Amazingly, the Wagner Telegram channel responded by saying Putin was mistaken and there would be a new Russian president soon. Wagner’s convoy rolled north until it was only a couple of hours’ drive from the Kremlin itself.

And then everything suddenly stopped. The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, announced a compromise had been brokered by the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Prigozhin would receive safe passage to Minsk, where he would apparently retain control over Wagner’s extensive operations in Africa. Wagner fighters would not be charged with treason and they would be integrated into the Russian military. As for Shoigu and Gerasimov, nobody seemed to know.

Questions abound

Even by Russian standards, this outcome was completely bizarre. And while there is doubtless plenty that did not make it into the official announcement, the upshot can only be that Putin has been badly damaged by the melodrama.

Stopping coup attempts – and this was more a mutiny or an insurrection than a coup – can strengthen authoritarian leaders if they are put down quickly and their leaders publicly and harshly dealt with.

But this hasn’t happened. For one thing, it was Putin who backed down, not Prigozhin. For another – even more damaging – Putin seemed distant from the whole process. It was a leader of a foreign country who intervened and solved the problems, rather than anyone in the Russian leadership.

Also Read: How the Wagner Group Mutiny Became a Belarusian PR Triumph

Other questions abound. How did Prigozhin so easily manage to take over the entire Southern Military District headquarters after announcing he was coming and without anyone putting up a fight?

How was his convoy allowed to get so close to Moscow so quickly, waved through checkpoints? Why did Russia’s puzzlingly absent Air Force not intervene, beyond a few helicopters?

And how did Russia’s intelligence services apparently fail to spot Prigozhin’s move, which he had been openly telegraphing for some time? US intelligence had already picked up Prigozhin’s plan by mid-June.

How much has Putin been damaged?

This must be profoundly disquieting for Putin. It strongly suggests that elements of virtually every one of Russia’s security services was likely complicit in Prigozhin’s move – or at the very least apathetic to it.

Even the most benign interpretation – rank systematic incompetence – indicates Russia lacks the ability to deal with serious insider threats against its capital.

A crowd in Rostov-on-Don watching a Wagner tank with flowers sticking out of its muzzle. Photo: Fargoh/Wikimedia Commons, CC0

It gets worse for Putin. Prigozhin has set a precedent by openly criticising the president, moving against him and forcing him to blink. That will not go unnoticed by Russia’s elites, whom Putin has bound closely to him through alternating cycles of fear and reward. Once an autocrat is unable to deliver on threats of punishments for malfeasance, the risk in taking action diminishes markedly.

Indeed, it was only after Putin publicly condemned Prigozhin that Russia’s loyal nationalists began to come out with their own public criticisms.

Putin’s messaging will now need to perform new feats of rhetorical gymnastics. It is already hard enough to spin his climb-down from “looming civil war” to “everything is fine”. It will be even harder to explain why Prigozhin – who had been lauded as a hero close to Putin – could claim with impunity that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was based on an untruthful pretext.

What could happen next?

If things are bad for Putin, they are far rosier for Ukraine. In the short term, there is unlikely to be too much difference in the war. Wagner’s forces had already been pulled off the front lines and Ukrainian forces have been confronting a mix of Russian soldiers and mobilised troops for some time.

But with every quashed insurrection comes a search for the guilty – and the inevitability of purges. That’s likely to be a lengthy and comprehensive process involving the Russian military and its intelligence agencies.

It is well known Prigozhin enjoyed significant support from middle-ranking Russian officers, and these individuals are likely to be the target of the regime’s ire. Paradoxically, they are often the more competent and battle-seasoned soldiers, as well. Morale, already low, will be even more badly damaged.

Ultimately, sooner or later, Russia’s security agencies will also come to the realisation they don’t need to submit to purges anymore and that the main culprit for Russia’s failures, Putin, has been enfeebled by his own actions.

And that’s perhaps the gravest concern for Putin to come out of all of this. Having for years encouraged the Kremlin’s powerful elites to compete for his favour, he’s now given them a powerful reason to unite against him.The Conversation

Matthew Sussex, Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

How the Wagner Group Mutiny Became a Belarusian PR Triumph

Belarusian President Lukashenko helped Russia end the weekend’s revolution led by Wagner’s leader Prigozhin. He’s gone from being seen as Moscow’s vassal to a regional statesman. Can it last?

He wanted to go all the way to Moscow but has likely ended up in Minsk instead.

Fighters from the infamous Russian private military company the Wagner Group were already on their way to the capital when news came from the government in Belarus.

‘[Wagner Group boss] Yevgeny Prigozhin accepted the proposal of the president of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, to stop the movement of armed personnel of the Wagner company inside Russia, and take additional steps to de-escalate tensions,’ the official statement said.

Prigozhin’s whereabouts are currently unknown but he reportedly left Russia for Belarus, with his departure marking the end of his rebellion.

It would appear that Belarusian leader Lukashenko saved Russian President Vladimir Putin from domestic destabilisation in the middle of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The Kremlin was grateful to Lukashenko for his efforts, its spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. A commentator on Russian television was more effusive, saying that Lukashenko ‘deserves a monument in the nicest part of Moscow.’

But how exactly did this surprising turn of events come about — and what role will Belarus play in the near future?

A threat to power in Minsk

Over the course of the revolt, it became clear that Lukashenko would stand by Putin’s side. The two heads of state had spoken on the phone at least twice. Lukashenko is said to have offered to work as a mediator because he’s known Prigozhin personally for 20 years, sources in the Kremlin said. At the same time, the Belarusian Security Council said that Belarus would remain Russia’s ally and that any conflict within Russia would be a gift to the West.

‘Lukashenko has an interest in preventing a major crisis in Russia,’ said Yauheni Preiherman, director of the think tank, the Minsk Dialogue Council on International Relations.

The big concern for the government in Minsk is that fighting in Ukraine could spread to Belarusian territory, he told DW.

This fear appears to be warranted, as evidenced by the appeal launched by Lukashenko opponents from the Kalinouski Regiment, which consists of Belarusian volunteers fighting on the side of the Ukrainian army against Russia.

While Prigozhin was still conducting his mutiny, the regiment declared in a video that they were ready to seize the opportunity and ‘liberate Belarus from dictatorship and occupation.’

‘Lukashenko’s interest is to prevent such a thing from happening,’ Preiherman said.

From supplicant to saviour?

Since 1999, Belarus and Russia have been linked in the so-called ‘Union State of Russia and Belarus’ that’s based on a treaty from 1997. But Lukashenko has tried to maintain a degree of autonomy from Putin in the past.

‘Their relationship has always been quite turbulent and has seen many ups and downs,’ Preiherman noted.

But Lukashenko has been more reliant on Putin since the summer of 2020, perhaps even earlier. Back then, after rigged presidential elections, Lukashenko faced massive popular protests. Thousands demanded his resignation. But the Kremlin stood by Lukashenko with loans and the announcement of a possible intervention. Lukashenko brutally crushed the democratic protests, whose leaders were arrested or forced into exile.

But now Putin and Lukashenko have switched roles, so to speak, observes Belarusian human rights activist Olga Karach, head of the Belarusian civil society initiative, Our House.

‘Before, Lukashenko was in the role of the supplicant who couldn’t restore order in his own country on his own … Now it’s Putin who could only restore order with outside help,’ she told DW.

Karach believes that the Belarusian leader will also benefit from this in terms of domestic politics. In recent months, there has been much speculation about 68-year-old Lukashenko’s alleged poor health. Now, however, it looks like ‘his authority would increase, especially in the Belarusian security apparatus,’ she said. This would probably also weaken the Belarusian opposition, Karach added.

More influence in Moscow

During Russia’s war on Ukraine, Lukashenko has been a loyal ally to Putin, allowing Russia to fire rockets on the country from Belarusian territory. After the announcement was made that Russia would be allowed to station nuclear weapons in Belarus, many experts concluded this was yet another sign that Belarus was becoming a Russian ‘vassal’ state.

But recent events could strengthen Lukashenko’s position and influence on Russia, the Minsk Dialogue’s Preiherman said. ‘He will have more of a role in Russian domestic and foreign policy. I don’t think many people in Moscow and in the Kremlin will like that,’ he added.

Wagner Mutiny: Who’s Who in the Prigozhin-Kremlin Conflict?

The Wagner chief has long been in favour of installing a new Russian military leadership, which he has repeatedly criticised for defeats in Ukraine.

Tensions between Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Russian military have escalated, though the Wagner Group leader has now halted his troops. Here are the key players in the conflict.

Yevgeny Prigozhin

The head of the independent paramilitary Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin was previously considered one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest confidants. The Wagner Group has been instrumental in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, particularly in and around Bakhmut, not to mention in conflicts in Syria and across the African continent in recent years.

But the close ties between Prigozhin and the Kremlin leadership have suffered in recent months: The Wagner chief has long been in favour of installing a new Russian military leadership, which he has repeatedly criticised for defeats in Ukraine.

Tensions have been increasing since June 23, when Prigozhin accused the military leadership, in particular his archenemy, defence minister Sergei Shoigu, of lying to the Russian people about the true reasons for the war in February 2022. He also accused Russian troops of attacking the Wagner Group.

In a televised national address on June 24, Putin called the Wagner mercenaries “traitors” who would “inevitably be punished” – the final break between the Kremlin and Prigozhin.

After a deal was struck late June 24, the investigation into Prigozhin by the FSB, Russia’s domestic intelligence agency, was called off, provided that the mercenary boss moves to Belarus. According to the terms of the deal, Wagner’s soldiers also will not face retribution.

Sergei Shoigu

Russia’s defence minister since 2012, Sergei Shoigu has been among the main perpetrators of the military aggression against Ukraine since 2014 and, to an even greater extent, since the all-out war began on February 24, 2022. Shoigu stands accused of numerous war crimes.

Nominally, he is Putin’s most important man – though there are doubts about how much trust the former Kremlin darling still enjoys. While he could count the occupation of Crimea in 2014 and Russian involvement in Syria as successes, his reputation has declined since the war against Ukraine began. The fact that Putin hoped the invasion would go much differently is considered an open secret.

Shoigu’s relationship with Prigozhin is particularly strained. The head of the Wagner mercenary force has repeatedly accused the defence ministry of failing to deliver ammunition. Prigozhin has also said that Shoigu is pursuing personal goals and awards, such as a hero’s medal, while deceiving Putin about the situation in Ukraine. These accusations culminated recently when Prigozhin said that Shoigu had lied to the Russian people about the real reason for the invasion.

But the failure of Prigozhin’s rebellion is likely to strengthen Shoigu’s position again. The Russian military is loyal to its defence minister ― there were hardly any defectors that joined the Wagner troops. It remains to be seen how far this improves Shoigu’s currently strained relationship with Putin. For now, Putin is standing by his defence minister.

Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu speaks during a meeting with officials of the Defence Ministry in an unknown location, in this still image taken from video released on November 9, 2022. Photo: Russian Defence Ministry/Handout via Reuters

Valery Gerasimov

Valery Gerasimov took over command of troops in Ukraine from Sergei Surovikin in January 2023. He is also responsible for organizing Russia’s military operation in Syria. Having assumed his post in 2012 after Shoigu was named defence minister, he may be considered a confidant of Shoigu, whom he serves as first deputy.

Wagner chief Prigozhin’s anger is directed at both Shoigu and Gerasimov, who he accuses of incompetence, holding them primarily responsible for heavy losses during the invasion of Ukraine. On Saturday, after claiming to have captured military facilities in the southern Russian city of Voronezh, Prigozhin threatened to march on Moscow unless Shoigu and Gerasimov joined his cause, and then followed through by moving north. But Prigozhin’s demands to dethrone or hand over both men were not successful. For now, Gerasimov is secure in his position.

Sergei Surovikin

Until now, deputy chief of General Staff for the Russian Armed Forces Sergei Surovikin was considered to be a Prigozhin ally. The general commanded the Russian forces in Ukraine from October 2022 to January 2023, before being demoted and replaced by Valery Gerasimov. Since the conflict escalated, he has however apparently turned his back on the head of the Wagner Group, calling on Prigozhin in a Friday evening video message to end the power struggle.

The enemy is just “waiting to see the exacerbation of our domestic political situation,” Surovikin said, calling for submission to Putin’s command.

This article was originally published on DW.


Russia: Prigozhin Hits Back After Putin Threatens Punishment for Wagner ‘Mutiny’

Russian authorities have called for the arrest of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin amid claims of mutiny. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces said they were “watching” the situation unfold.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said Saturday his troops are heading off to support the Kremlin against the armed uprising by the Wagner Group.

“Fighters from the Ministry of Defense and the National Guard of the Chechen Republic have already left for the tense areas. We will do everything to preserve Russia’s unity and protect its statehood,” Kadyrov posted on Telegram.

Earlier on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation, where he spoke of an armed “mutiny” and announced that he would punish those who rebel.

“I support every word of Vladimir Putin,” Kadyrov said.

Chechen fighters are currently deployed with the Russian military in the war against Ukraine and, until recently, were fighting alongside Wagner mercenaries.

Fuel depot on fire in Voronezh, UK says Wagner has sights on Moscow

A fuel depot was on fire in Russia’s southern city of Voronezh on Saturday, the local governor announced after Moscow said the army was leading “combat” in the region amid a mutiny from Wagner mercenaries.

Voronezh authorities are “extinguishing a burning fuel depot,” Governor Alexander Gusev said on Telegram. “There are 100 firefighters and more than 30 vehicles at the scene,” he added, saying there were “no victims according to initial data.”

Some media have published a video showing a military helicopter in the area before an explosion.

Earlier on Saturday, Britain said the Wagner Group had crossed from Russian occupied parts of Ukraine to Russia in at least two locations, and had “almost certainly” occupied key security sites in Rostov-on-Don.

“Further Wagner units are moving north through Voronezh Oblast, almost certainly aiming to get to Moscow,” British intelligence said.

“With very limited evidence of fighting between Wagner and Russian security forces, some have likely remained passive, acquiescing to Wagner.”

Sunak urges ‘all parties’ to protect civilians

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called on “all parties” in Russia to protect civilians after the Wagner Group captured territory in Rostov and other regions.

“The most important thing I’d say is for all parties to be responsible and to protect civilians,” Sunak told the BBC in an interview.

“We’re keeping a close eye on the situation and how it’s evolving on the ground as we speak,” he added.

He also said he would speak with allies about the situation later on Saturday.

‘Russia’s weakness is obvious’: Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday that the growing unrest in Russia is a result of its invasion of Ukraine.

“Russia’s weakness is obvious. Full-scale weakness,” he said in statement posted to social media after the Wagner Group captured territory in several Russian regions.

“The longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on our land, the more chaos, pain, and problems it will have for itself later.”

Zelenskyy implied that Putin was unable to stop his troops from “fleeing and betraying when lift resists” in Ukraine.

Putin allies rally in support of Russian president

Some of Vladimir Putin’s closest allies rallied round in support of the Russian president on Saturday in the wake of the threat posed by the Wagner Group.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev spoke to Putin by telephone and described the events in Russia as an internal affair while saying rule of law was necessary to maintain order.

The leader of Russia’s Orthodox Patriarch Kirill has called for “unity” and voiced support for Putin.

“Today, when our brothers are fighting and dying on the frontlines… any attempt to sow discord within the country is the greatest possible crime that has no justification,” Patriarch Kirill said in a statement. “I support the efforts of the head of the Russian state, aimed at not allowing turmoil in our country.”

Wagner leader hits back at Putin

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has responded to President Vladimir Putin’s “betrayal” comments, suggesting in fact that the mercenary group’s soldiers are Russian “patriots.”

“The president makes a deep mistake when he talks about treason,” Prigozhin said in an audio message.

Prigozhin also said that Wagner forces would not be “turning themselves in and confess at the order of the president, the FSB (security service) or anyone else. Because we don’t want the country to continue to live any longer in corruption, deceit and bureaucracy.”

Earlier on Saturday, Putin said Wagner fighters were traitors who must be punished.

Wagner assault ‘unprecedented’ in Russia

DW International Correspondent Roman Goncharenko said the reports of a Wagner Group mutiny could be a turning point for Russia.

“We’ve never seen anything like this in recent Russian history,” he said.

“Taking control of Rostov-on-Don, or at the least part of Rostov-on-Don where the headquarters of the Russian army is, is an unprecedented move and it shows how weak the Russian military is,” he added.

The Wagner Group has taken on semi-official military responsibilities since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, but in recent months Yevgeny Prigozhin has turned against Putin and blamed Russia’s armed forces for losses on the battlefield.

“It is a gigantic experiment that (Putin) started by invading Ukraine, and now things are developing in a very bad direction for him,” Goncharenko said.

In an address early on Saturday, Putin made comparisons to how World War I led to revolution and civil war inside Russia in 1917.

“Putin is absolutely right to draw comparisons,” Roman Goncharenko said. “This is where Russia is heading now, but we are not there yet.”

Russia fighting for ‘its future,’ says Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has responded to the Wagner Group’s rebellion, telling the nation it was facing its “toughest battle for its future.”

In an address to the country, Putin described Yevgeny Prigozhin’s actions — in calling for an uprising against the Kremlin — an “armed mutiny” and told the rebels they will face “inevitable punishment.”

Putin did admit the situation in Rostov-on-Don was “difficult” following Wagner claims it had seized control of the airport and army headquarters in the city near the Ukrainian border.

“There will be decisive measures taken on stabilizing the situation in Rostov-on-Don,” Putin told the nation.

Poland ‘monitors’ while UK says Russia facing ‘most significant challenge in recent times’

Britain’s defence ministry said in an intelligence update that “the coming hours” may be decisive as “to how this crisis plays out” as Russian security forces face a test of “loyalty” to the Kremlin over the “feud” between Wagner and Moscow’s military.

Meanwhile, on Saturday morning, Poland’s president held “consultations” with the prime minister and defence ministry about “the situation in Russia.”

“The course of events beyond our eastern border is monitored on an ongoing basis,” Andrzej Duda wrote on Twitter.

Russia will ‘guarantee safety’ of Wagner fighters who stop rebelling

The Russian army on Saturday said it would “guarantee the safety” of Wagner mercenaries who stop rebelling against the Russian government and its military.

“We are appealing to the fighters of assault squads of PMC Wagner. You were deceived into (Wagner chief’s Yevgeny) Prigozhin’s criminal venture and participation in an armed rebellion,” the army said in a statement. It called on the fighters to ask for help to return to “places of permanent deployment.”

“We ask you to show reason and get in touch with representatives of Russia’s defence ministry or law enforcement. We guarantee safety for all.”

Moscow declares state of emergency

The city of Moscow the capital’s region has declared a counterterrorism state of emergency against the backdrop of the armed uprising by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

“In order to prevent possible terrorist attacks in the city and Moscow region, a regime of counterterrorism operations has been established,” Russia’s National Antiterrorism Committee said on Saturday morning.

Armoured vehicles in front of parliament in Moscow

Armoured vehicles have appeared in the centre of Moscow in the wake of the power struggle between Wagner and the Kremlin.

“Security measures have been increased in Moscow, all important objects, such as organs of state power and objects of transport infrastructure, have been put under heightened guard,” the state news agency TASS reported.

Wagner chief claims he’s seized Rostov army HQ and airport

The head of the Wagner mercenary group says his troops have occupied key military objects in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, as Yevgeny Prigozhin ramps up his challenge to the Kremlin.

“Under our control are military objects of Rostov, including the airport,” Prigozhin said in a video released on Saturday morning.

He also claimed to have seized control of the army’s headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, a city with a population of over 1 million near the border with Ukraine.

Prigozhin’s claims, however, could not be independently verified.

Unverified videos show soldiers in Rostov-on-Don

Following claims by Prigozhin that his Wagner forces had crossed from Ukraine into Russia and were on their way to the city of Rostov-on-Don, numerous videos began to appear on social media showing soldiers and tanks moving around inside the city.

Reuters was able to verify that the footage was of the police headquarters building, but could not say when it was taken.

Local news site 161.ru said that their correspondent has seen tanks and armored vehicles in the center of the city.

Rostov is the headquarters of the Russian Southern Military District, a key hub for Russian forces and close to the Ukrainian border.

The footage could not be verified and it was also not possible to determine whether the forces shown were Russian military or Wagner mercenaries.

Russia: Moscow mayor says ‘anti-terror’ measures in place in capital city

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said they were taking “anti-terrorist” measures to secure the Russian capital.

“In connection with the incoming information in Moscow, anti-terrorist measures aimed at strengthening security are being taken,” Sobyanin said on Telegram.

The feud between the Wagner Group and the Russian defence leadership escalated into a confrontation after the mercenary group called on members to support an armed rebellion against the military leadership.

Prigozhin: Russian helicopter that fired on ‘civilian column’ shot down

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner Group, said in his latest audio message that: “A helicopter just now opened fire at a civilian column. It has been shot down by units of [private military company] Wagner.”

Prigozhin’s short message was not independently confirmed by other sources. It was also unclear what he meant by a civilian column.

If true, fighting between Wagner mercenary forces and Russian military troops would mark a serious escalation in the clash between Prigozhin and the Kremlin.

Russia: Putin briefed on situation ‘around the clock’

Russian President Vladimir Putin is receiving regular updates on the situation, the Kremlin said.

“Security services, law enforcement agencies, namely, the defence ministry, the FSB, the Interior Ministry, the National Guard are reporting to the president constantly, around the clock,” Dmitry Peskov, the spokesman for Putin, was quoted as saying by Russian media outlets.

Putin has not yet made any comments on Prigozhin’s rant against high-level Russian officials and the progress of the war in Ukraine.

White House: Monitoring situation in Russia

US National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge said they were “monitoring the situation and will be consulting with allies and partners on these developments.”

Hodge added that US President Joe Biden had been briefed about the fast-moving situation in Russia.

Prigozhin: Ready to ‘go all the way’ as mercenary forces cross from Ukraine into Russia

Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin said his forces had crossed the border from Ukraine into Russia and that they were ready to go “all the way” in their challenge to the Russian military.

The Wagner chief said his forces had crossed the border into the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and added his men would destroy anyone who stood in their way.

Prigozhin’s claims have not been independently verified, nor has there been any video footage of Wagner troops crossing into Russia.

DW analyst: Russian forces may face off against Wagner troops

DW’s Russia analyst Konstantin Eggert said that “it’s a possibility” that Russian troops may end up facing off against Wagner mercenary forces.

Eggert said that the Kremlin has ordered the mobilization of the special police forces as well as the FSB state security agency.

“There will be forces that will, I think, eventually confront the Wagner group if they decide to go into battle,” he said. “But it still remains to be seen.”

Unverified reports on Telegram said that Prigozhin’s Wagner forces had crossed into Russia from Ukraine without any resistance from Russian border guards.

If Russian President Vladimir Putin does not appear on television soon to address the situation, “it will look really strange, it will look like weakness and I think that it will have a lasting effect on Putin’s regime no matter what the outcome of this particular crisis is,” Eggert said. 

Russia: Ukraine taking advantage of spat to ready troops near Bakhmut

The Russian Defence ministry accused Ukrainian troops of taking advantage of the infighting between the Wagner group and the Russian military to prepare its troops for an assault on Bakhmut.

“Taking advantage of Prigozhin’s provocation to disorganize the situation, the Kyiv regime near the Bakhmut front is concentrating units… for offensive actions,” the ministry was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

Russian forces declared control of Bakhmut in May, but Ukrainian forces have made it difficult for Russia to hold on to the city as they shape up a counteroffensive to take back territories.

Russia: Prigozhin could face up to 20 years in prison

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office said on Telegram that Prigozhin’s actions could see him sentenced to 12 to 20 years behind bars.

The office said Prigozhin was charged under Article 279 of the Russian Criminal Code for organizing an armed insurrection. “His actions will be given a proper legal assessment,” it added.

How has Ukraine reacted?

Ukraine has said it is monitoring the infighting between Prigozhin and the Russian military leadership.

“We are watching,” the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence said.

Russia: Prigozhin’s claims not based in fact

The Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee has criticized claims by Prigozhin regarding the alleged attack on Wagner forces.

“The allegations spread in the name of Yevgeny Prigozhin have no basis in fact. That is why the FSB has initiated criminal proceedings on the basis of these statements for calling for an armed coup,” the committee said.

Prigozhin, the outspoken leader of the Wagner Group, has feuded publicly with Russia’s defence heads for months, accusing them of battlefield failures in the war in Ukraine.

On Friday, the Wagner chief accused Russia’s military forces of striking and killing his mercenary forces.

Russia’s defence ministry has denied the claim.

Russia: FSB urges Wagner troops to ignore Prigozhin’s orders

The Russian Federal Security Service or the FSB has urged Wagner troops to ignore Prigozhin’s calls for resistance and urged them to detain the Wagner leader.

“Prigozhin’s statements and actions are in fact a call to start an armed civil conflict on the territory of the Russian Federation and a stab in the back to Russian servicemen fighting pro-fascist Ukrainian forces,” the FSB said.

Russian commander urges Wagner forces to obey military leadership

A deputy commander of Russia’s war on Ukraine, General Sergei Surovikin, called on Wagner members to not oppose military leadership.

“I urge you to stop,” Surovikin said in a video. “The enemy is waiting for the internal political situation to worsen in our country.”

“Before it is too late, it is necessary and it is needed to obey the will and order of the popularly elected President of the Russian Federation,” Surovikin added.

Putin aware of Prigozhin situation

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been informed of the situation regarding Prigozhin, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Peskov said “all necessary measures were being taken” after Prigozhin urged Russians to join him in resistance against Russian military leaders.

Prigozhin was a close friend of Putin and was once known as “Putin’s chef.” Although Prigozhin has been critical of the Russian military and its handling of the war in Ukraine, he has refrained from criticizing Putin by name.

Russia launches criminal probe into Wagner chief

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) launched a criminal probe into Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin on Friday, accusing him of attempting a “mutiny.”

Earlier on Friday, Prigozhin accused the Russian military of attacking his forces in Ukraine.

“We were ready to make concessions to the defence ministry, surrender our weapons,” Prigozhin said in an audio message. “Today, seeing that we have not been broken, they conducted missile strikes at our rear camps. A huge number of our fighters, our comrades died.”

Russia has denied it attacked Prigozhin’s forces. Prigozhin has called on volunteers to join him after the alleged Russian attack.

“This is not a military coup. This is a march for justice,” Prigozhin said.

This article was originally published on DW.