Russian Rebellion of Wagner Private Military Company (PMC) Intensifies 24 June 2023

An ongoing "attempted state coup" by the Wagner PMC forces is taking place in Russia. Russian generals have accused the leader of the militants of plotting a coup. The authorities have deployed armored vehicles on the streets of Moscow. The main Russian security agency, the FSB, has called on Wagner mercenaries to apprehend their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Prihodzhin confirms negotiations and the agreement reached during them. "We are retracting our columns and moving back to the field camps as planned."

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, in coordination with the President of Russia, held negotiations with the leader of the Wagner Private Military Company, Yevgeny Prihodzhin.

The negotiations lasted throughout the day and resulted in agreements to prevent the unleashing of a bloody massacre on Russian territory. Yevgeny Prihodzhin accepted the proposal of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to halt the movement of armed personnel from the Wagner company on Russian territory and to take further steps to de-escalate the tension.

During his evening video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke in Russian to the citizens of Russia. He noted that the longer Russians remain inactive, the more their state will suffer from the consequences.

"I will speak in Russian. The person from the Kremlin is obviously very afraid and probably hiding somewhere, not showing himself. I am sure he is no longer in Moscow. He is making calls, begging for something... He knows what he is afraid of because he created this threat himself. All the evil, all the losses, all the hatred – he is the one spreading it. And the longer he can keep running between his bunkers, the more you all will lose... everyone who is connected to Russia," Zelensky said.

In Moscow and Moscow region, a ban on holding mass events until 1 July has been imposed. School graduations are being postponed.

Wagner convoys have entered the Moscow region. They are less than two hours away from the city itself, Russian media reports. There are reports that Vladimir Putin has left Moscow in an emergency. The Russian president's spokesman claims that he is in the Kremlin.

US and Western officials are trying not to influence the situation in Russia because Russian President Vladimir Putin could use any possible Western involvement in the escalation of the crisis to his advantage, sources familiar with the administration of US President Joe Biden told CNN, citing their own sources.

The offices of the Wagner PMC are being searched. 4 billion rubles were confiscated from Prigozhin. The money was found in a car parked in the yard of his office in St Petersburg, Russian media reports. Prigozhin confirmed that the money was his and added that it was intended to be used to pay mercenaries of the Wagner PMC.

"Putin sowed the wind - now he must reap the storm" - Stephen King tweeted

There have been numerous reports of Wagner PMC fighters opening fire in public places. In particular, a number of official buildings in Rostov were shelled.

The Russian ruble fell to a record high of 84 rubles to the US dollar. The plunge occurred on Friday before the close of trading markets, and at least one currency exchange service halted ruble transfers due to uncertainty over the currency's price.

The White House is monitoring the situation and will consult with allies and partners, said National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge.

The European Union considers the current situation as an internal issue of Russia. "We are closely monitoring the situation and are in constant contact with our ambassador in Moscow, and we continue internal consultations with member states," said EU spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Nabila Massrali.

The UK plans to discuss the situation in Russia at a special emergency meeting in the Cobra format. The UK Ministry of Defence believes that its development will depend on the commitment of the Russian security forces, especially the Rosgvardia."This is the most important challenge for the Russian state in recent times," the ministry stressed. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for a responsible approach to the protection of civilians.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that the actions of the Wagnerites showed "internal chaos" in Russia.

The Estonian Ministry of Defence admitted the possibility of further escalation. "We will monitor the developments together with our allies," Minister Hanno Pevkur said. Officials believe that there is no immediate threat to Estonia at the moment: the country's borders are secure, and citizens should refrain from travelling to Russia.

The Georgian Interior Ministry sees no reason to close the border with Russia. "There is no increase in traffic on either side of the border. Georgian Interior Ministry units are fully controlling the situation," the ministry said.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky believes that Ukraine will benefit from the current events in Russia. "I see that my summer holiday in Ukrainian Crimea is approaching," he tweeted.

Latvia will not issue humanitarian or other visas in response to the current situation in Russia, and will not change the border crossing restrictions imposed on Russian citizens since 19.09.22. - said Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs in his Twitter account. He also emphasised the strengthening of border security with Russia and Belarus.

"Roskomnadzor confirmed that it blocks media and social networks associated with the Wagner PMC. "A number of resources are restricted in order to prevent the spread of calls to participate in an armed rebellion," the authority responded to a request from Russian media RBC

Belarusian government board No. 1, which took off towards Moscow this morning, later returned in Minsk. The traced track of the plane becomes a social media meme. Data from RadarBox

Deputy Minister of Defence Hanna Malyar called the current situation in Russia a 'window of opportunity' for Ukraine, and emphasised that Russia itself had created the conditions for launching a self-destruction scenario. "Should we be happy?" she wrote in her telegram, "It is better to be cautious and prepare for any scenario."

Researchers of the OSINT open data analysis project report on Twitter that the Russian army lost two IL 22 aircraft, two helicopters for electronic warfare and one Mi 35 helicopter. It also lost a Tiger combat vehicle and a Kamaz military vehicle.

"After Prigozhin's demarche and the start of the Wagner military group's movement towards the Russian capital, a counter-terrorist operation (CTO) regime was declared in a number of regions of Russia", the Ukrainian GUR reported in its telegram. The security forces have received permission to: listen to any conversations and check correspondence; Carry out detentions and searches without additional approvals; Forcibly enter private and office premises; Use motor vehicles of citizens and organisations; Disconnect all types of communication; Remove individuals from areas and facilities.According to the GUR, the Russian capital, Moscow, is practically isolated by police and military units and is preparing for a blockade.

According to Ramzan Kadyrov, Chechen forces moved to liberate the city of Rostov-on-Don from Wagner PMC mercenaries.

Photo: A fire at an oil depot in the Rostov region. Source: telegram vrn01

Russian public media reports explosions at the Naftobaz depot caused by the crash of a Russian Ka 52 attack helicopter.  Video from the scene is posted on local public media. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin calls Kazakh President Tokayev. During the conversation, Tokayev stressed that the events unfolding in the Russian Federation right now "are an internal affair of Russia".

Russian media and telegram channels report at least two explosions near the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov. According to preliminary information, the headquarters was under the control of the head of the Vagenr PMC, Evgeny Prigozhin.

Photo: A truck on fire in the Voronezh region Sourсe: telegram Pozdnykov 

Russian military opened fire on civilians. According to unspecified reports, a civilian truck was shelled in the Voronezh region. The passenger and driver died on the spot.

The Wagner convoy continues to move towards Moscow. In the Russian city of Rostov, Wagner soldiers are installing mine barriers made of TM-62 anti-tank guns.

Secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, commented on the unfolding revolt of the Wagner PMC against the Russian Ministry of Defense, declaring that "just as the war began, it shall come to an end - from within Russia," and he added that the process is already "in progress."

Photo: PMC military, Source https://www.livemint.com

Prigozhin responds to Putin's Address: "Regarding the accusation of betraying our homeland, the president is deeply mistaken," Prigozhin stated. "We are patriots of our homeland. We have fought and continue to fight. We will not come obediently at the demand of the president, FSB, or anyone else. Because we do not want our country to continue living in corruption, deception, and bureaucracy."

According to British intelligence, Wagner PMC forces have crossed the Ukrainian-Russian border in two locations. In Rostov-on-Don, they have "almost certainly taken control of key military infrastructure." Other units are moving north of the Voronezh region, "almost certainly with the aim of reaching Moscow."

Russian social media sources report that Wagner PMC fighters have shot down a Russian helicopter that attacked a convoy of mercenaries near Voronezh. 

Photo: Wagner PMC military, Source: https://www.reuters.com

Reuters, citing a source in Russian intelligence, reports that Wagner PMC fighters have taken control of all military facilities in the Russian city of Voronezh.

Andriy Yusev, a representative of Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), commenting on the situation in the Russian Federation, stated, "This is an internal Russian conflict and confrontation that is a direct consequence of Putin's regime's criminal military aggression against Ukraine."

During his urgent address, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian Armed Forces to neutralize the organizers of the armed coup and called for "unity." He referred to the actions of the Wagner mercenaries as "betrayal" and a "blow to Russia."

The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), after analyzing the situation surrounding the Wagner PMC conflict with the Russian Ministry of Defense, concluded that Prigozhin hopes for support from the head of state, Vladimir Putin, but Moscow is unlikely to support such actions.

Mikhailo Podoliak, an advisor to the head of the President's Office, commented on the situation in Russia on Twitter, stating, "Yevgeny Prigozhin's private military company 'Wagner' with the Russian Ministry of Defense 'resembles a return to historical processes in Russia, with uprisings and henchmen, a change of power."

Photo: Head of PMC Wagener Yevgeny Prigozhin

In his Telegram channel, the leader of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed to have control over "all" military facilities in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, stating, "We have control over all military facilities in Rostov, including the airfield... There are no problems. Everything that we have taken control of is to prevent airstrikes against us and instead direct them towards Ukrainians."

President Putin's spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, assured that President Putin is "aware of the situation" regarding Prigozhin.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that all reports attributed to Prigozhin on social media and videos showing Russian military strikes on rear camps of the Wagner group are untrue and are an information provocation.

On the evening of May 23 at 21:49, Prigozhin published an audio message on his Telegram channel, announcing the "March of Justice" and urging people to "not resist." He stated, "There are 25,000 of us, and we are going to find out why there is chaos in the country. 25,000 are waiting in tactical reserve, and the strategic reserve is the entire army and the entire country. Everyone who wants to, join us, we need to put an end to this disgrace."

It is worth noting that Ukraine, along with many representatives of the global expert community, anticipates the accumulation of protest potential in Russia and emphasizes the need to develop a strategy to respond to such challenges.

Prigozhin is a Russian restaurateur who became wealthy through supplying food to the Russian army and gained fame as "Putin's chef" by organizing meals for the Russian President.

To carry out "dirty work" in the interests of the Kremlin, Prigozhin created the private military company Wagner, which is recognized as a terrorist organization in many countries worldwide.

Putin endowed Prigozhin with unlimited power, including recruiting new members to the Wagner PMC from Russian prisons, which directly contradicts international law.

The Wagner coup attempt is a direct consequence of the Kremlin's unleashed war, as this illegal group was armed and prepared for aggression against Ukraine.