Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to punish the “traitors” of the paramilitary group Wagner, after its leader threatened to overthrow military command in Moscow. Wagner’s leader, Evgeny Prigojine, 62, openly rebelled against the Russian command. He posted a series of messages from Friday night to Saturday saying he had returned with his mercenary troops to the southern Russian city of Rostov, claiming to have taken over military sites.
Here’s what we know so far:
What triggered the rebellion?
For months, Prigozhin has been in a power struggle with Russia’s military hierarchy, blaming it for the deaths of its troops in eastern Ukraine. On several occasions, he accused senior military brass of not adequately equipping his private army, of delaying the advance of his troops with questions of bureaucracy, while attributing to himself all the victories won by Wagner’s men. .
On Friday, Prigozhin let his anger explode, saying Moscow’s military rulers had ordered strikes on his camps and killed scores of Wagner’s paramilitaries. He said senior members of the Russian military were to be arrested, vowing “to go all the way”. He later claimed that his forces shot down a Russian military helicopter.
Hours later, Wagner’s chief claimed that military sites in southern Russia, Rostov were “under control” of his men. Rostov is the headquarters of the Southern Command of the Russian army from where the military operations in Ukraine are coordinated.
What is Moscow’s reaction to these events?
The Kremlin said overnight from Friday to Saturday that “measures were being taken” against the mutiny. Russia has tightened security in Moscow and in several regions such as Rostov and Lipetsk. Vladimir Putin on Saturday denounced the “deadly threat” and the risk of “civil war” posed by Yevgeny Prigojine who openly rebelled against the Russian command. He urged the country to unite. Calling the action of Wagner’s mercenaries a “treason”, he vowed to inflict an “inevitable punishment” on them.
Who are Wagner’s mercenaries?
Wagner’s mercenary army had previously been involved in conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, while denying its role. But Prigozhin admitted last year that he founded the group, recruiting men from Russian prisons in return for amnesty.
In eastern Ukraine, Wagner’s units spearheaded intense Russian battles. Wagner’s mercenaries were at the forefront of the assault carried out for several months against the city of Bakhmout, conquered for Russia at the cost of enormous losses in their ranks.
How is Russia impacted?
Wagner’s rebellion represents the most serious challenge yet to Putin’s long rule and opens Russia’s most serious security crisis since he came to power in late 1999. It comes at a time when Kiev is in the midst of a -offensive to regain territory. Ukraine’s military said it was “monitoring” the clash between Prigozhin and Putin.
For its part, Moscow warned that the Kiev army was seizing the moment to concentrate its troops “for offensive actions” near Bakhmout. The significance of this mutiny has not escaped world leaders either. Washington, Paris, Berlin and Rome have said they are monitoring developments closely.