Day 486 of the Invasion of Ukraine: Civil War in Russia - Wagner Fighters take control of Rostov and Voronezh, Putin declares them Traitors

Ukraine | June 24, 2023, Saturday // 08:28|  views

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Day 486 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

  • Kadyrov promised to help the authorities against the "Wagner" rebellion; Prigozhin declared that he would not surrender
  • Zelensky on the "Wagner" rebellion: Russia's weakness is obvious and full-scale
  • Putin has held telephone conversations with the presidents of Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan
  • "Wagner": Putin made the wrong decision. We will soon have a new president
  • London on the insurrection: The most important thing is how loyal the security forces and Rosgvardia will be
  • Putin after the Wagner rebellion: Criminal adventure, backstabbing, treason
  • "Wagner" controls the military facilities in the city of Voronezh, about 500 km away south of Moscow
  • Prigozhin at the army headquarters in Rostov: We have come for Shoigu, we are moving on to Moscow
  • Anti-terrorist actions in Moscow and the Moscow region, planned mass events are being canceled in Rostov-on-Don
  • 'This bastard must be stopped': Prigozhin rises against Shoigu, reports of battles with the army
  • Khodorkovsky called for helping Prigozhin against Putin's regime
  • Kyiv took advantage of Prigozhin's provocation and is preparing for an offensive, the Russian Defense Ministry said
  • 7 injured in a fire in a high-rise building in Kyiv caused by falling debris from a destroyed Russian missile


Kadyrov promised to help the authorities against the "Wagner" rebellion; Prigozhin declared that he would not surrender

The leader of the Wagner private military group Yevgeny Prigozhin said that neither he nor his fighters would surrender, despite President Vladimir Putin's order.

Prigozhin also said that the president had unfairly accused them of treason, and added that he and his men were Russian patriots who did not want to put up with corruption, lies and bureaucracy in Russia any longer.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has announced that his troops are ready to help the authorities in Russia deal with the rebellion of the military company "Wagner" - if necessary "and with the crudest methods".

In his statement, Kadyrov repeated the words of President Vladimir Putin that the actions of the Wagnerites and their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin are a "stab in the back" of the Russian troops in Ukraine.

Kadyrov called on the soldiers of the remaining divisions of the Russian armed forces not to give in to "provocations" and not to support the riot.

Earlier, the leaders of the occupied Luhansk and Donetsk regions, Leonid Pasechnik and Denis Pushilin, announced their support for the Russian president.

Zelensky on the "Wagner" rebellion: Russia's weakness is obvious and full-scale

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that "Russia's weakness is obvious" and that the longer Moscow keeps its troops and mercenaries in Ukraine, the more chaos it will cause at home.

He made his first comments on the Telegram and Twitter apps amid the apparent rebellion of the head of the Wagner military group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, against the Russian army.

"Russia's weakness is obvious and full-scale," Zelensky wrote.

"And the longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on our soil, the more chaos, pain and trouble it itself will endure later."

"Anyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself," added Zelensky.

He noted that Ukraine is capable of protecting Europe from the spread of "Russian evil and chaos."

Meanwhile, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, described the Wagner group's rebellion in Russia as the beginning of a civil war.

"Events are developing according to the scenario we have been talking about for the last year. The start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive finally destabilized the Russian elites, strengthening the internal division that arose after the defeat in Ukraine. Today we are actually witnessing the beginning of a civil war," Podolyak said.

"Prigozhin's group captures military facilities, headquarters and entire cities, meeting almost no resistance on their way, disarming random soldiers and policemen. Putin declares Prigozhin a traitor and issues orders to the special services, but nothing follows, this is the real loss in power," the adviser to the Ukrainian president also said.

Putin has held telephone conversations with the presidents of Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan

Russian President Vladimir Putin held telephone conversations with the presidents of Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, as quoted by RIA Novosti.

"The president has informed his interlocutors about the situation," Peskov told reporters.

An anti-terrorist operation has been announced in a number of Russian regions after Wagner mercenaries announced that they would be heading towards Moscow.

"Wagner": Putin made the wrong decision. We will soon have a new president

"Putin made the wrong decision. So much the worse for him. Soon we will have a new president."

This was announced by a channel of the private military company on "Telegram" after the speech of the head of state, in which he accused the "musicians" of treason.

London on the insurrection: The most important thing is how loyal the security forces and Rosgvardia will be

Britain's Ministry of Defense said on Saturday that the Russian state is facing its biggest security challenge in recent memory, following what appears to be a movement of Wagner Group mercenary forces towards Moscow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an emergency televised address on Saturday that the Wagner group's "armed rebellion" was treason and that anyone who took up arms against the Russian army would be punished.

"In the coming hours, the loyalty of the Russian security forces, and particularly the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia), will be key to how this crisis unfolds," Britain's Ministry of Defense said in its regular morning intelligence briefing.

"This is the most significant challenge for the Russian state in recent times," the message adds.

Britain said Wagner Group forces crossed from Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine into Russia in at least two locations and "almost certainly" occupied key security sites in Rostov-on-Don, including the headquarters of the Southern Military District, which directs Russian military operations in Ukraine.

"More units of Wagner are moving north through the Voronezh region, almost certainly with the aim of reaching Moscow," London said.

"With very limited evidence of fighting between Wagner and Russian security forces, some may have remained passive, acquiescing to Wagner," the defense ministry added.

Britain's Foreign Office warned of the risk of unrest across Russia in updated travel advice on Saturday. "There are reports of military tensions in the Rostov region and the risk of further unrest across the country. In addition, there are no available options for a return flight to the UK," the ministry added. The UK government continues to advise its citizens not to travel to Russia.

Putin after the Wagner rebellion: Criminal adventure, backstabbing, treason

At precisely 10 a.m. today, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation, provoked by the rebellion of Yevgeny Prigozhin's "Wagner" PMC.

He called what was happening a "criminal adventure" without specifically mentioning the rebel fighters.

Putin said Russia's future was at stake, describing the rebels' actions as a "stab in the back".

Without specifically mentioning the head of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin said the high "ambitions" of some had led to "treason".

The Russian president also warned of "inevitable punishment" for those who divide Russian society. And he says an anti-terror regime has already been put in place in the capital Moscow and several other regions.

Putin also stressed that all the "necessary orders" had been given to deal with the crisis, promising to protect Russia.

And that was the end of his short televised address - he didn't once specifically mention Wagner's mercenaries and their leader Prigozhin.

The full text of the address:

"I am addressing those who have been lured into a criminal adventure by lies or threats, who have been pushed onto the path of a serious crime - armed insurrection. Today, Russia is waging an extremely difficult war for its future, repelling the aggression of the neo-Nazis and their masters. Practically the entire military, economic and informational machine of the West is facing us. We are fighting for the lives and safety of our people. For our sovereignty and independence. For the challenge of being and remaining Russia - a country with a thousand-year history. This battle, in which the fate of our people is decided, requires the unification of all forces, unity, consolidation and responsibility, when everything that weakens us must be cast aside, all conflicts that our external enemies can and do take advantage of, to blow us up from the inside. And that is why the actions that bring division into our unity are a betrayal of their people, of their comrades-in-arms, who are now fighting at the front. A blow to the back of our country and our people.

Just such a blow was dealt to Russia in 1917, when the country was fighting the First World War. But the victory was stolen from her. Intrigues, gossip, politicking behind the backs of the army and the people turned into a huge upheaval, the destruction of the army and the collapse of the state, the loss of huge territories. In the end – tragedy and civil war. Russians killed Russians, brothers killed brothers. And the benefit was extracted by various political adventurers and foreign powers, who divided the country, tore it into parts. We will not allow this to happen again. We will protect our people and our statehood from any threats."

The White House commented on the situation in Russia in a brief statement, saying: "We are monitoring the situation and will consult with allies and partners regarding these developments," a National Security Council spokesman said. An anonymous US administration official told CNN that the US was treating Prigozhin's words as "more than mere rhetoric".

Polish President Andrzej Duda announced that consultations were held regarding the situation in Russia, including with NATO allies. "Regarding the situation in Russia this morning, we held consultations with the Prime Minister and the Ministry of National Defense, as well as with allies. Developments beyond our eastern border are being monitored continuously," President Andrzej Duda said on Twitter.

"Wagner" controls the military facilities in the city of Voronezh, about 500 km away south of Moscow

Fighters from the Russian private military company "Wagner" have established control over all military facilities in the city of Voronezh, which is located about 500 kilometers south of Moscow, Reuters reported, citing a source in the Russian security services.

Meanwhile, the Wagner company building in St. Petersburg was cordoned off by security forces. Officers of the police and the Russian Guard are on duty at the entrance. Journalists also went to the place.

A counter-terrorist operation regime has been introduced in the capital Moscow, in the Moscow and Voronezh regions.

Prigozhin was accused of attempted armed insurrection. Earlier, he announced in a published video that he was at the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don and his forces controlled all military sites in the city. Reuters reported that "Wagner" has also established control in the city of Voronezh.

Prigozhin took these actions after accusing the Russian military leadership of ordering a blow to the rear of his men in Ukraine.

The Ministry of Defense addressed the militants with the claim that "they were misled and involved in a criminal adventure" and urged them to contact representatives of official structures, guaranteeing their safety.

Prigozhin at the army headquarters in Rostov: We have come for Shoigu, we are moving on to Moscow

The head of PMC "Wagner" Yevgeny Prigozhin arrived with armed units of the "musicians" at the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don and talked on the spot with Deputy Minister of Defense Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, Telegram channels reported, showing a video from the entry of Putin's Chef into the courtyard of the headquarters and fragments of his conversation with Yevkurov. “We have come for Shoigu and Gerasimov and we are moving on to Moscow”, Prigozhin declared.

"We are saving Russia!" repeated Yevgeny Prigozhin upon entering the military headquarters in Rostov. At the beginning of the published clip, you can see a slight spat between him and Shoigu Yevkurov's deputy regarding speech etiquette - Putin's cook remarks to the deputy minister not to speak to him in a "formal" way. The founder of "Wagner" accuses Shoigu's people of sending helicopters against him, which he then shot down. "Did you shoot them down?" "We did. And we will take down everyone you send against us. Because you shoot at civilians, you destroy civilians, you just destroyed a bus with civilians," Prigozhin replies. Unconfirmed video and photo footage of the shooting down of two helicopters, as well as the destruction of "Wagner" jeeps by Russian forces along the M-4 - Rostov-on-Don - Moscow highway, appeared in various agencies and on Telegram channels.

Yunus-Bek Yevkurov asked Prigozhin what the Wagnerites want. "We want to get the Chief of the General Staff and Shoigu. Until they come, we stay here, blockade the city of Rostov and go to Moscow!" Yevkurov wants the Wagnerites to leave the territory of the headquarters, so as not to interfere with the army in carrying out its tasks, to which the "guest" responds with a refusal. "The boys will be here! We're not stopping you from commanding the troops.”

Anti-terrorist actions in Moscow and the Moscow region, planned mass events are being canceled in Rostov-on-Don

Anti-terrorist measures in Moscow, additional road controls have been introduced, TASS reported, referring to the capital's mayor, Sergey Sobyanin.

"In connection with the incoming information, anti-terrorist measures aimed at strengthening security measures are being carried out in Moscow. Additional control has been introduced on the roads. It is possible to limit the holding of mass events. Please be sympathetic to the measures taken," he wrote on Telegram.

The regional governor of the Moscow Region, Andrey Vorobyov, announced that anti-terrorist measures are also being held in the Moscow region and additional checks are possible on the roads in the southern direction.

Security measures have been strengthened throughout the Moscow Region, and the situation is being controlled by law enforcement agencies and the Federal Security Service, the governor explained on his Telegram channel.

Rostov Oblast authorities have instructed the Rostov-on-Don city administration and life support services to take measures to keep all city systems functioning, Rostov Oblast Governor Vasily Golubev said.

"I have given the necessary instructions to the Rostov city administration and Rostov life support services to take the necessary measures to maintain the normal functioning of all city systems. We are keeping the matter under control and regularly listening to the reports. Once again, I am asking the residents of Rostov not to leave their homes unnecessarily and not to come to the center of the Don capital," he said in a message published on Telegram.

Shortly thereafter, the governor of the Rostov region announced that all planned mass events in Rostov-on-Don had been canceled. A new organization of transport in the city is also being introduced due to the complicated situation, reports the city administration.

'This bastard must be stopped': Prigozhin rises against Shoigu, reports of battles with the army

The head of the private army "Wagner" accused the Minister of Defense of carrying out artillery and air strikes on his units and with the words "this bastard must be stopped" announced the beginning of a "march for justice", explicitly specifying that "this is not military take-over". A case has been filed against Yevgeny Prigozhin for calling for an armed riot.

Russian media reports that in southern Russia, units of the internal troops of the Russian Guard are on high alert, as well as the structures of the FSB counterintelligence and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In Telegram channels, some "rear camps" of the mercenaries are reported to be fighting with the Russian army, but there are also claims that no one sees any movement of units on either side. The reactions of popular leaders of the nationalist circles are that Prigozhin is rather staging for someone's benefit, but in any case, such actions in the rear of the Russian army during wartime are tantamount to treason and should be punished accordingly.

The Kremlin reports that President Vladimir Putin has been notified "of the situation" and "appropriate measures are being taken". Access to the entire Kremlin complex is blocked. (Three hours later, a video greeting Putin on Youth Day was released.)

The Ministry of Defense defined Prigozhin's words as a provocation, and the National Anti-Terrorist Center said that his accusations had no basis. "In connection with these statements, the Federal Security Service has opened a criminal case for incitement to armed riot. We demand that the illegal actions be stopped immediately," the statement said. After that, the General Prosecutor's Office also confirmed such a "legal and well-founded" case, which is interpreted as a sign of approval of these actions by the president himself.

In the Criminal Code of Russia, there is Article 279 "Armed Riot", which says:

"The organization of an armed riot or active participation in it with the aim of overthrowing or violently changing the constitutional order of the Russian Federation or violating the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation - is punishable by imprisonment for a term of twelve to twenty years." As of at least 2016, there has been no conviction under this article. In 2013, retired GRU colonel Vladimir Kvachkov was convicted under it.

Several Telegram channels, known for their sources in law enforcement and law enforcement agencies, reported:

Plan "Fortress" has been implemented in Moscow, Moscow's security forces have been unofficially put on high alert, the leadership has instructed law enforcement officers to "keep in touch with everyone, not go anywhere." The plan is to urgently assemble the personnel and take control of particularly important law enforcement facilities. The plan also provides for readiness to reflect an external attack. A BBC source close to the Russian intelligence services says that along the Moscow-Voronezh-Rostov-on-Don highway FSB units with the support of the SOBR (special rapid response units of the National Guard troops) have set up checkpoints. Those on duty were ordered to open fire "in case of threat". At the same time, the equipment is on standby in the garages and divisions, but the units have not yet received an order for its movement. "Fortress" has also been declared in a number of police departments in the Rostov region. Employees are on high alert. It is being investigated whether the alert is training-related and what are its causes. In Rostov-on-Don, after Prigozhin's statement, conscripts began arming, expecting to load them onto armored personnel carriers.

The conflict erupted after a series of short audio messages from Prigozhin in which he angrily stated that the defense minister had secretly arrived in Rostov-on-Don to order missile and helicopter strikes on the Wagner camps, then "escaped" he said to be the bodies of two thousand Russian soldiers hidden in morgues in the region so that the people would not learn how great the losses were, he added. "Our actions in no way hinder the Russian troops," Prigozhin also said and promised that once they are finished, they will return to the front in Ukraine.

"Those who destroyed our boys, who destroyed the lives of many tens of thousands of Russian soldiers, will be punished. I call on no one to resist," he continued.

"The Council of Commanders of PMC Wagner has made a decision. The evil that brings the country's military leadership must be stopped. They disregard the lives of soldiers, they forgot the word ‘justice’ and we will return it. Therefore those who destroyed our boys today, those who destroyed tens, many tens of thousands of lives of Russian soldiers will be punished."

"We are 25 thousand and we will find out why there is all the chaos in the country. Another 25 thousand are expected as a tactical reserve, and the strategic reserve is the whole army and the whole country...Everyone who wants to join. We have to put an end to this mess. (...) Anyone who resists... We will consider this a threat - and destroy you immediately. Including any obstacles in our path and any aircraft we see see. I ask everyone to remain calm, not to give in to provocations, to stay in their homes. It is recommended not to go outside on the way of our route," he also said without explaining where Wagner plans to move

Sources of the Russian-language publication Meduza working abroad, close to the Kremlin, reacted to Prigozhin's statements "mostly with obscene words". "It is clear that he did not coordinate anything with the presidential administration. Now the president trusts the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, the counteroffensive (of Ukraine) turned out to be not such a terrible thing. In any case, this is how things are conveyed to the outside. Is Prigozhin coordinating with some power structure or with Putin personally for some unexpected steps, I don't know," says one of the interlocutors close to the presidential administration.

Another source believed that Prigozhin "could be bluffing" and that his belligerent threats would not lead to real action: "He has lost his mind." At the same time, the interlocutor specifies that Prigozhin is "unpredictable and almost uncontrollable" and it is practically impossible to calculate his next steps: "If he is not bluffing, the security authorities will handle the situation."

Khodorkovsky called for helping Prigozhin against Putin's regime

Former Russian oligarch and current opponent of the Kremlin, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, called for help to the head of the private military company "Wagner" Yevgeny Prigozhin. The group declared a rebellion against the Russian army, reported AFP.

"Even the devil should be helped if he decides to go against this regime. This thug (Prigozhin) wants to disturb the other thug (Putin). Now is not the time to mope and sulk, now is the time to help him," wrote Khodorkovsky on Telegram, referring to the need to help the leader of "Wagner".

Kyiv took advantage of Prigozhin's provocation and is preparing for an offensive, the Russian Defense Ministry said

Kyiv has taken advantage of the provocation of the founder of "Wagner" Yevgeny Prigozhin and is concentrating units for an offensive in the tactical direction of Bakhmut, TASS reported, citing the Russian Ministry of Defense.

"Taking advantage of Prigozhin's provocation to disorganize the situation, the Kyiv regime concentrated units of the 35th and 36th Marine Brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Bakhmut tactical direction for offensive actions," the ministry said.

The agency added that the Russian armed forces responded with air and artillery strikes against the enemy.

Meanwhile, in Kyiv, fragments of an unmanned aircraft fell on a parking lot in the center of the Ukrainian capital and emergency services arrived on the scene, the mayor of the city Vitaliy Klitschko said, quoted by Reuters.

Klitschko added that two people were injured in central Kyiv’s Solomyansky district, and photos posted on social media showed the top floors of a skyscraper in flames.

An air alert was sounded across Ukraine for more than an hour and explosions were reported in Kharkiv, the country's second most populous city. Explosions were also reported in Dnipro in central Ukraine, as well as in other cities.

A report by the Ukrainian armed forces noted that they had activated anti-aircraft units across the country.

7 injured in a fire in a high-rise building in Kyiv caused by falling debris from a destroyed Russian missile

Fragments of Russian missiles shot down by Ukrainian air defenses caused a fire in Kyiv. And other Russian missiles caused damage in other places in the country, including Kharkiv, Reuters reported.

At night, an air alert was declared over the territory of Ukraine, it was canceled a while ago.

In Kyiv, falling fragments of a destroyed Russian missile caused a fire on the 16th, 17th and 18th floors of a 24-story block of flats. Seven people were injured and 40 cars were damaged in an adjacent parking lot, announced Sergiy Popko, head of the military administration of the capital.

The anti-aircraft defense intercepted and shot down more than 20 missiles.

At least three rockets hit Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. One of them hit a gas pipeline and a fire broke out, said the mayor of the city, Igor Terekhov.

In Dnipro in central Ukraine, eight houses were destroyed in an attack on the town.

There are reports of explosions in other cities as well, but there are no reports of casualties or damage so far.

Novinite is still the only Bulgarian media that publishes a summary of events and highlights related to the conflict, every single day. Our coverage began on day one - 24.02.2022 and will not stop until the war has concluded. Despite the pressure, our independent media will continue to provide its readers with accurate and up-to-date information. Thank you for your support! #stayinformed

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Tags: Prigozhin, rostov, Russia, Ukraine

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