June 24, (THEWILL) – Russian mercenary leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has declared war on Moscow’s own defence ministry, claiming Kremlin officials had killed thousands of his soldiers.
Prigozhin, whose Wagner militia spearheaded the capture of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut last month, has for months, been openly accusing Defence Minister, Sergei Shoigu and Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, of rank incompetence and of denying Wagner ammunition and support in its battles in Ukraine.
In a statement on Friday night, Prigozhin claimed he had pulled his troops back from Ukraine and into the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, and vowed: “If anyone gets in our way, we will destroy everything!”
According to Russian state media, Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said President Vladimir Putin is aware of the rapidly unfolding situation and “all necessary measures are being taken.”
Meanwhile, Russian authorities said the key highway from Moscow to the south has been blocked.
The FSB security agency in a statement on Friday night, said it had “legally and reasonably begun criminal proceedings”, against the Wagner Group warlord “for the organisation of armed insurrection.”
Reacting to the development, President Putin, in a televised address to the nation on Saturday morning, described Prigozhin’s action as a “serious act of treason”, assuring that those responsible “will pay for it.
Promising a maximum response, Putin said, “We will defend our people and our state from any treachery. Now the fate of our people is being decided.
“The situation in Rostov-on-Don remains difficult during the armed uprising. In Rostov, the work of the civil and military administration is basically blocked
“The Russian armed forces have received the necessary order to neutralise those who organised the armed rebellion. The name and glory of Wagner’s heroes who fought in the special military operation in Ukraine and gave their lives for the unity of the Russian world have been betrayed by those who organised the rebellion.”
Putin also denounced that “exorbitant ambitions and self-interests led to the betrayal of Russia and the Russian people and of the cause for which, side by side with our other units and sub-units, the soldiers and commanders of the Wagner group fought and died.
“The heroes who liberated Soledar and Artemovsk, cities and countries of Donbas, fought and gave their lives for Novorossia, for the unity of the Russian world. Their name and glory have also been betrayed by those who are trying to organise a rebellion, driving the country into anarchy and fratricide, ultimately to defeat and capitulation.
“I ask again not to make this very serious mistake, to make the right choice, to stop participating in these criminal actions.”
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