Amid escalating tensions between two feuding camps involved in the Ukrainian conflict, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, has issued a threat to attack Russia’s Defense Ministry. Prigozhin alleged that a missile strike orchestrated by the ministry resulted in significant casualties among his men.
In response to Prigozhin’s claims, the Defence Ministry categorically denied any involvement in attacking Wagner’s rear camps in Russia. Late Friday, the ministry issued a statement dismissing his allegations as a “provocation.” Furthermore, investigators have initiated a criminal probe against Prigozhin for allegedly inciting an armed uprising.
Prigozhin took to his Telegram channel, posting a series of audio messages in which he threatened to “punish” Russia’s military leaders for the alleged attack and the reported loss of “tens of thousands” of Russian troops in the ongoing war. He specifically targeted Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, accusing him of orchestrating an operation to “destroy” Wagner.
Also read: The Grim Life and Brutal Death of a Wagner Recruit
Asserting their numbers to be 25,000 strong, Prigozhin called on others to join their cause and address the perceived lawlessness in the country. After threatening to destroy “anyone who will try to resist,” he declared, “this is not a military coup. This is a march for justice.”
No immediate indications of Wagner mobilising
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that President Vladimir Putin has been briefed on the situation involving Prigozhin and stated that “necessary measures” are being taken in response. However, there are currently no immediate indications of Wagner mobilising to carry out Prigozhin’s threat, marking this incident as the most significant escalation in the ongoing power struggle between the mercenary leader and Russia’s defence establishment.
Prigozhin has long accused Shoigu and the Defence Ministry of neglecting the proper support of Wagner forces engaged in combat in Ukraine, particularly during the battles for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
The National Anti-Terrorism Committee has called on Prigozhin to cease his illegal activities, and the Federal Security Service is reportedly investigating his remarks, according to state-run Tass news service.
Earlier on Friday, Prigozhin shared a video on Telegram in which he accused the Defence Ministry of deceiving the Russian people and President Putin regarding the motives behind the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He said that the war was not necessary to protect Russian citizens “or to demilitarise and denazify Ukraine,” but to allow “a bunch of scumbags” in the Defence Ministry to earn medals and promotions.
Also read: Russia LIVE Updates: Wagner chief vows ‘will go to the end’ to topple military leadership
(With inputs from Bloomberg)
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Updated: 24 Jun 2023, 07:52 AM IST
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