The Wagner Group is now storming the headquarters of the Russian Defense Ministry in Rostov, Russia, which means they are well on their way to Moscow.
Troops from Russia’s Wagner militia have marched into the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, leading to fears of a coup led by Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin.
In Rostov residents have been told to stay in their homes by government officials, but some were seen out observing what was happening, even livestreaming the stand-off on their cell phones.
A short time later, video showed unidentified troops surrounding the Russian Southern Military District headquarters in Rostov, which has played a key role in orchestrating the Russian war in Ukraine. Multiple experts claimed that the video showed Wagner troops taking control of the building.
Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson said the Russian president had been informed of Prigozhin’s claims of a march on Moscow, and that ‘necessary measures are being taken.’
Putin has yet to be seen or publicly comment on the uprising.
Prigozhin declared war on Moscow’s military leadership and claimed his forces had marched on the city of Rostov ‘unopposed’.
The private army boss claimed to have also shot down a Russian military helicopter in the city – home to the Kremlin’s headquarters for the war in Ukraine – which ‘opened fire on a civilian column’.
Prigozhin launched his extraordinary action after calling for the ousting of the Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and vowing to punish Russian military leaders – whom he accused of killing ‘hundreds’ of his mercenaries in an air strike.
He also claimed the Russian military top brass is lying to Vladimir Putin and hiding the bodies of a further 2,000 soldiers to conceal losses in Ukraine. In an audio statement early Saturday morning, Prigozhin said that his mercenary forces were “entering Rostov” without resistance. Hours earlier, on Friday, he claimed that he was “declaring war on the Russian Ministry of Defense” in retaliation for an alleged attack on his forces positioned in Ukraine.
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