Moscow. Yevgeny Prigozhin, one of the most special people of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has opened a front against him. The head of the Wagner Group has threatened to overthrow Putin from power. In response to which Putin talked about crushing the Wagner Group. On this statement of Putin, Prigozhin has said that the Russian President made a wrong choice during his speech and the country will soon get a new President.
Putin calls armed rebellion of private army a ‘betrayal’
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the declaration of an armed rebellion by the head of the private army ‘Wagner Group’ Yevgeny Prigozhin a ‘treachery’ and a ‘stabbing in the back’ of Russia. In a televised address to the nation, Putin pledged to defend Russia. He also said, “All those who conspired to revolt must face severe punishment. Necessary orders have been issued to the armed forces and other government agencies.” Prigozhin claimed on Saturday that he and his fighters had crossed the Ukrainian border into the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and taken control of key military installations there.
Prigozhin posted a video in which he is seen standing at the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. This headquarters monitors the war in Ukraine. The ‘Wagner Group’ claimed that their forces had captured several key military installations in the city, including an airstrip. Other videos posted on social media showed military vehicles and tankers parked on the streets of Rostov-on-Don. Putin criticized the Wagner Group’s decision, saying the mutiny comes at a time when Russia is “fighting the toughest battle for its future” in the war with Ukraine. “The entire military, economic and information system of the Western countries has been turned against us,” he alleged.
On the other hand, Prigozhin claimed that his private army did not encounter any resistance from young soldiers at checkpoints while entering Russia from Ukraine. He said his fighters “are not fighting against children.” In a video and audio post released on social media, Prigozhin said, “Whatever comes our way, we will destroy it. We are moving forward and we will go till the end.” How seriously Russia has taken the threat posed by the ‘Wagner Group’ can be gauged from the fact that the authorities have announced the implementation of an ‘anti-terrorist regime’ in Moscow and its surrounding areas, under which Many rights enjoyed by the citizens have been limited and the security system has also been increased. However, at the moment it is not clear how the head of the ‘Wagner Group’ entered the Russian city and how many fighters are with him.
Prigozhin’s charge
Prigozhin alleged that after meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Rostov, Army Chief General Valery Gerasimov ordered the “Wagner Group” base camps in Ukraine to be targeted with rockets, helicopters and artillery. He claimed that in this meeting it was decided to destroy the ‘Wagner Group’. Prigozhin also claimed that his forces shot down a Russian military helicopter that had fired on a convoy of civilians. However, this claim could not be independently verified. Prigozhin stated that his personal army consisted of 25,000 fighters and that he would punish Shoigu by means of an armed rebellion. He urged the army not to resist.
“This is not a military coup, but a march for justice,” said the head of the Wagner Group. What effect Prigozhin’s declaration of rebellion will have is not clear at the moment, but it is expected to further affect Russia’s campaign in Ukraine. Fighters of the ‘Wagner Group’ had succeeded in capturing the city of Bakhmut, playing a key role in the Ukraine War, which had been witness to long and fierce fighting. This will also raise questions about Putin’s ability to maintain a united front. Despite fighting on Russia’s side in the Ukraine War, Prigozhin has criticized the country’s senior military officers. They have accused the authorities of being incompetent and not supplying arms and ammunition to ‘Wagner’ forces.
Criminal investigation started against ‘Wagner Group’
Russian authorities on Friday opened a criminal investigation against Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group private army, for allegedly threatening to remove the country’s defense minister. Prigozhin accused Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of ordering a rocket attack on the Wagner Group base camp in Ukraine, where his fighters are fighting Ukrainian forces on Russia’s side. Prigozhin said that his fighters would now move to punish Shoigu and urged the Russian army not to offer resistance. “This is not an armed rebellion, but a march towards justice,” Prigozhin said. Russia’s Defense Ministry rejected Prigozhin’s claims. At the same time, the country’s top anti-terrorist organization ‘National Anti-Terrorism Committee’ has started a criminal investigation against ‘Wagner Group’ for calling for a military coup. Kremlin (Russia’s presidential palace) spokesman Dmitry Pskov said that President Vladimir Putin has been informed about the situation and all necessary measures have been taken.
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