Breaking | The Russian president has made an emergency national address as his former ally and head of the Wagner paramilitary group vowed to march on Moscow with his fighters.
Prigozhin has vowed to march on Moscow with his troops for justice.The White House is closely monitoring. US officials described it as “serious”.Vladimir Putin says an “armed mutiny” led by the chief of the Wagner paramilitary group is a “stab in the back” for Russia, accusing those involved of treason and warning that anyone who takes up arms against the Russian military will be punished.
“This battle, when the fate of our people is being decided, requires the unification of all forces, unity, consolidation and responsibility.” An armed rebellion at a time like this is “a blow to Russia, to its people,” the president said. “With very limited evidence of fighting between Wagner and Russian security forces, some have likely remained passive, acquiescing to Wagner,” an official said.
In response, Russian generals accused Prigozhin of trying to mount a coup against Putin, as the long-running feud between the Wagner founder and the Russian military escalated into an open confrontation. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.Prigozhin said his forces had Rostov with no resistance from young conscripts at checkpoints and adding that his forces “aren’t fighting against children”. The governor of the Rostov region sent a message to residents to stay indoors.
The White House said Joe Biden had been briefed on the chaotic situation in Russia with US officials describing it as “serious”. A White House National Security Council spokesman said: “We are monitoring the situation and will be consulting with allies and partners on these developments.” Earlier, Prigozhin said Russian generals had concocted false pretences to trick Putin into invading Ukraine and said Moscow could have avoided the war entirely. The notorious strongman, who has known Putin since their days in St Petersburg in the early 1990s, is widely believed by analysts to have the Russian president’s approval for his attacks on the army.
The rant, posted on social media on Friday evening UK time, is the latest instalment of Prigozhin’s long-running spat with Shoigu, who he has accused of sabotaging the war effort together with Gerasimov, chief of Russia’s general staff.
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