WAR IN UKRAINE. The leader of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigojine, entered Russia with his troops, shortly after accusing Russian military leaders of killing numerous soldiers in his army and demanding their arrest. Vladimir Putin condemns this “treason” and promises reprisals.
Yevgeny Prigojine, leader of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, declared on Saturday June 24, 2023 to enter into Russia with his troops (25,000 men according to him) with the aim of overthrowing the military command embodied by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Since Friday evening and until Saturday morning, the 62-year-old man published a series of messages, announcing to have entered the city of Rostov-on-the-Don in the south of Russia, with troops of mercenaries.
He claims to have taken control of several Russian military sites. This escalation, perceived by Vladimir Putin as “treason” in a televised statement, comes after several months of a tense context where Wagner accuses the Russian chiefs of staff of being at the origin of the disappearance of his troops in eastern Ukraine. Prigojine assured, Friday, June 23, that Moscow had killed many paramilitaries by strikes on the Wagner camps. Russian military leaders denied any responsibility but the leader of the paramilitary group said, at the heart of his messages, that some leaders of the Russian army must be arrested, before affirming that he would go “to the end”.
In addition to his soldiers who would have been killed by Moscow, Prigojine reproaches these same generals for not having procured enough military equipment for Wagner. He also blames the leaders for having repeatedly delayed the ongoing operations in Ukraine and for claiming the victories of the private army.
So far, the clashes haven’t done much damage. Evgueni Prigojine certifies having shot down a Russian army helicopter on the night of Friday to Saturday. Rostov-on-Don would have been brought “under control” of Wagner without the use of firearms. British intelligence indicated that the Russian military had “most probably remained passive, approving [l’action de] Wagner”.
Moscow’s response
Moscow quickly responded to the rebellion of the paramilitary group, on the night of Friday June 23 to Saturday June 24. The Russians announced that “measures were being taken” and that “necessary operational and combat actions were beginning” in the Voronezh region, located halfway between Moscow and Rostov, where Wagner announced that he had taken control of military infrastructure on Saturday morning. Vladimir Putin confided his concerns of “civil war” and denounced the “deadly threat” engendered by Prigojine and his men. The Russian president is already talking about “inevitable punishment” in response to this “betrayal” of his private army. Saturday afternoon, Russian helicopters would have opened fire on a column of Wagner, according to the Reuters agency. The paramilitary convoy was heading towards Voronezh, about 400 kilometers from the Russian capital, according to the journalist on site.
A context of war since February 2022
This conflict between Moscow and the Wagner Group comes in the context of the war waged by the Russians in Ukraine since February 24, 2022. Last winter, Russia invaded its neighbor, claiming their territory. Tension between the two countries rose in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea. And when Ukraine asks to join NATO, Russia takes fright because itself is not part of the international organization. Russian leaders then send armed troops to the Ukrainian border before invading the country a few months later. Since then, the clashes are in full swing and the Ukrainian counter-offensive is underway. At least 7,000 Ukrainian citizens and several thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers lost their lives during this conflict. More than five million Ukrainians have fled war since February 2022.