What is happening in Russia?
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐋𝐎𝐓: The situation in Russia involves the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary military group led by Prigozhin, which has declared an armed rebellion against the Russian military. This has created a civil war-like scenario in the country.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩:
The Wagner Group is a Russian mercenary private military group (PMC) with over 60K soldiers, known for fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. Despite private military companies being prohibited in Russia, Wagner has been allowed to operate outside the law due to their pro-government stance and leader Prigozhin’s close association with Putin.
Additionally, Wagner has a significant presence in Syria and various African countries, where its fighters supported Bashar Al Assad during the Syrian civil war. They also engage in multiple mining operations across several African nations.
𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐨𝐳𝐡𝐢𝐧?
Yevgeny Prigozhin, often referred to as “Putin’s chef,” is a Russian oligarch and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin. He is the leader of the Wagner Group. Prigozhin earned his nickname from his early career in the food and catering industry, including providing catering services to Putin and the Kremlin.
Once a convict in the Soviet Union, Prigozhin has become one of the most influential figures in Russia. Apart from leading Wagner, he operates numerous dubious companies, allegedly with President Putin’s approval. He is also believed to be the financial backer of the Internet Research Agency, a Russian troll farm accused of interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠?
Earlier today, Prigozhin made a video statement on his official Telegram group, accusing the Russian military of attacking his fighters in Ukraine. It is worth noting that Prigozhin has long accused the Russian military of corruption, alleging that Russian generals exploit the Ukraine war as a means to line their own pockets.
In one of his videos, an enraged Prigozhin showcased the bodies of deceased Wagner fighters, claiming that they were killed because the Russian military failed to provide them with sufficient ammunition.
𝐏𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧’𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞
In response to the attempted military coup by the Wagner Group, Putin delivered a speech on state TV. A visibly stressed Putin denounced the Wagner Group as a “criminal enterprise” and characterized their mutiny as an “act of treason.”
Putin stressed the severe threat that this mutiny poses to Russia and vowed to “punish” all those involved. He declared the mutiny a “stab in the back of our country and our people” and promised severe repercussions for the rebellion’s planners.
𝐖𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧:
In response to Putin’s speech, Wagner chief Prigozhin expressed disagreement, stating that Putin has made the “wrong choice” and that a “new President” will soon emerge in Russia. A Telegram group affiliated with Wagner posted that the “Civil war has officially begun” in Russia following Putin’s classification of Wagner as a criminal enterprise.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐨𝐰?
The Wagner Group has seized control of the Russian military headquarters in the Rostov region. They have also taken over military facilities in Voronezh, located just 500 kilometres away from Moscow.
When the Wagner fighters entered Rostov, Russian border security guards did not resist. Wagner claims that hundreds of Russian military officials have defected from the Russian military and joined “the people.”
Currently, the Wagner military convoy is en route to Moscow, passing through Voronezh. The Russian air force has conducted airstrikes on the Wagner convoy along the strategically important M4 highway.
Videos posted on Telegram by Wagner show at least two military planes, including a fighter jet, being shot down by the group.
A presidential plane has departed from Moscow and is heading towards Saint Petersburg, although Russian officials assert that Putin is still in Moscow.
