Wagner Troops Advance Despite Putin’s Warning; US, EU Monitor Situation as Moscow on ‘High Alert’ | Top Updates – News18

In a surprising U-turn, Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the Wagner group who had declared an armed rebellion against the Russia, agreed on Saturday to halt his advance towards Moscow in order to prevent “Russian bloodshed.”

Prigozhin accepted a proposal to “stop the movement of armed persons of the Wagner company on the territory of Russia and take further steps to de-escalate tensions,” according an official statement. Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko brokered the de-escalation deal after discussion with Prigozhin and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In an audio message, Prigozhin confirmed the development and said that he is stopping his troops to avoid “Russian bloodshed”, according to the Associated Press. The Russian Ministry of Defense leadership will undergo major change in exchange for Wagner Group halting its advance on Moscow, reported The Spectator Index.

The development came after security around Moscow was ramped up on as Russian military forces sought to thwart the armed rebellion declared by the mercenary group which entered the Lipetsk province after taking claiming military positions in Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh regions, despite warnings by Putin.

BNO News quoting the Moscow mayor said “the situation is difficult” and “city services are on high alert”.

Roads were destroyed in Lipetsk and trenches dug on the outskirts of Moscow as videos circulating on social media showed a convoy of armed vehicles belonging to Wagner mercenaries traveling along the M4 motorway.

Residents Advised in Lipetsk and Moscow

The governor of the Lipetsk region asked residents to stay at home and refrain from traveling. Governor Igor Artamonov said on Telegram that Wagner had entered the province but “the situation is under control.”

Authorities have also announced the suspension of outdoor mass events and activities at educational institutions in the Moscow region until July 1.

Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claims that his troops entered the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don without a single shot and says that no one was killed during what he calls a “march of justice.”

Prigozhin said in a audio statement that “we didn’t touch a single conscript, we didn’t kill a single person on our way.” He added that the Russian air force targeted his troops, but they still managed to seize military headquarters in Rostov “without a single gunshot.”

Putin Addresses ‘Betrayal’, Prigozhin Rules Out Surrender

Meanwhile, Putin addressed the nation and vowed to defend the country and its people from those who “betrayed” the Russian Federation. “All those who prepared the rebellion will suffer inevitable punishment. The armed forces and other government agencies have received the necessary orders,” he said.

Prigozhin, a once low-profile businessman who enjoyed the support of Putin, gained global attention due to his involvement in Russia’s war in Ukraine. As the owner of the Kremlin-affiliated Wagner Group, Prigozhin intensified his criticism of Russia’s handling of the war, going so far as to call for an armed uprising to remove the defense minister on Friday. In response, Russian security services swiftly initiated a criminal investigation and called for Prigozhin’s arrest.

Putin has called Prigozhin’s actions, without referring to him by name, “a betrayal” and “a treason”, during his recent speech.

Shortly later, Prigozhin denied Putin’s allegations of betraying his country, called his fighters patriots and ruled out surrender. “Regarding the betrayal of the motherland, the president was deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our homeland.”

He said his fighters would not turn themselves in at the request of Putin, as “we do not want the country to live on in corruption, deceit and bureaucracy.

Amnesty If Wagner Group Surrenders

According to Reuters, Russian authorities have reportedly offered the Wagner mutineers an amnesty if they surrender.

Russian state owned news agency Tass citing a Russian lawmaker said that the Wagner fighters have been promised an amnesty if they law down their weapons but they need to act fast. The statement came after Putin signed law allowing people to be detained for up to 30 days for violating martial law.

Questions Arise Over Putin’s Whereabouts

Multiple reports indicate that at 2:16 PM Moscow time (12:16 PM BST), Russian President Vladimir Putin’s presidential aircraft departed from Moscow Vnukovo Airport and proceeded in a north-west direction. According to The Guardian, FlightRadar tracking data reveals that the plane reached the Tver region, approximately 180km from Moscow, where Putin possesses a residence, before vanishing from the system. The presence of Putin on the aircraft remains unverified, and Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesperson, informed the TASS news agency that the president is currently “working in the Kremlin.”

All Flights from Moscow Sold Out

As the Wagner mercenary group advances, reports indicated that flights from Moscow have been fully booked. According to Der Spiegel, tickets for direct flights from Moscow to Tbilisi, Astana, and Istanbul are no longer available, reported The Guardian.

The BBC Russia reported evacuations of public buildings across Moscow as the Wagner rebels advance.

The British broadcaster said Museums near the Kremlin were evacuated in Moscow.

In the Tambov region, which neighbours Lipetsk, mass events including high school graduation parties were canceled Saturday, AP reported. Russia’s Education Ministry said such parties were being postponed until July 1 in Moscow, the region around the capital and “a number of other regions where additional anti-terrorist measures have been introduced.”

In the capital, traffic on the Moscow River was suspended. Police officers in bulletproof vests and with machine guns were seen near the entrance of the major highway that links Moscow with Voronezh and Rostov–on-Don.

Russia’s weakness is obvious: Ukraine President Zelenskyy

Zelenskyy in a tweet said “anyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself.” He said, “for a long time, Russia used propaganda to mask its weakness and the stupidity of its government. And now there is so much chaos that no lie can hide it.”

“Russia’s weakness is obvious. Full-scale weakness,” Zelenskyy said, adding “the longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on our land, the more chaos, pain, and problems it will have for itself later. It is also obvious. Ukraine is able to protect Europe from the spread of Russian evil and chaos.”

Putin speaks to allies in Belarus, Turkey Central Asia

Putin spoke to his Belarus ally, President Alexander, president of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the president of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. He also spoke with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who assured him that Turkey was ready to help seek a “peaceful resolution”.

Erdogan “underlined the importance of acting with common sense,” the presidency said in a statement. “President Erdogan said that we, as Turkey, are ready to do our part for the peaceful resolution of events in Russia as soon as possible.”

EU, US Monitor Situation

Meanwhile, the European Union activated a crisis response center to monitor situation in Russia. EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell said foreign affairs ministers of the G7 spoke to “exchange views” on the ongoing crisis. Berlin also confirmed German Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock “just discussed the situation” with her G7 counterparts.

The UK government’s emergency committee, Cobra, also holding a meeting to discuss the situation in Moscow.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a tweet said, “Spoke today with G7 Foreign Ministers and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to discuss the ongoing situation in Russia. The United States will stay in close coordination with Allies and partners as the situation continues to develop.”

US President Biden spoke with the leaders of the E3 – French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and UK PM Rishi Sunak- on the situation in Russia. “The leaders discussed the situation in Russia. They also affirmed their unfirming support to Ukraine,” a White House statement read.

Moscow warned the West against taking advantage of the conflict in Russia to achieve what it claimed were their “anti-Russian” goals. “We warn the Western countries against any hint of possible use of the domestic Russian situation to achieve their Russophobic goals,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

“All goals and objectives of the special military operation will be fulfilled,” it added, using the Kremlin-preferred term for Moscow’s large-scale military intervention in Ukraine.

Next 24 hours will be crucial for Russian President Vladimir Putin a convoy of rebel Wagner mercenaries made their way towards capital Moscow, CNN reported. “The Russian president is facing the most serious threat to his hold on power in all the 23 years he’s run the nuclear state. And it is staggering to behold the veneer of total control he has maintained all that time – the ultimate selling point of his autocracy – crumble overnight,” the publication wrote.

(With inputs from agencies)