The businessman behind the private military company has been accused of “rebellion” against Moscow

FILE PHOTO: Evgeny Prigozhin. ©  TELEGRAM / @concordgroup_official via AFP

Evgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group private military company, has been accused by the government of staging an armed insurrection.

The charges were brought late Friday night after Prigozhin accused Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and General Valery Gerasimov, the chair of the Russian general staff, of serious crimes.

Prigozhin claimed to have ordered troops loyal to him to move towards Rostov-on-Don, a major city in southern Russia. Security measures were also reportedly beefed up in Moscow.

24 June 2023

08:56 GMT

Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev said the Russian military is “carrying out the necessary operational and combat measures” in the region as part of the ongoing counter-terrorism operation, without providing further details.

08:15 GMT

St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said that the situation in the city, which is a home to the Wagner Center HQ, remains stable, with increased security measures put in place. He also noted that “lawful actions of law enforcement agents, including those in the Wagner Center building, have no impact on the ongoing activities in the city,” apparently referring to earlier reports that operatives were conducting searches there.

07:54 GMT

The situation in Rostov-on-Don is tense but with no disorder, a Ria Novosti correspondent reports from the scene. Earlier in the day, several media outlets shared clips of tanks moving around the city, with unidentified soldiers patrolling the streets.

07:11 GMT

All who consciously stick to the way of treason will receive imminent punishment, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his address to the nation. He added that the country’s armed forces have been given all necessary orders.

06:35 GMT

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has canceled all mass public events, while adding that there are no restrictions on movement around the capital.

06:26 GMT

The Russian Ministry of Defense has urged Wagner Group private military company soldiers to cease their armed insurrection, urging them to return to their bases. In a statement on Saturday, the ministry claimed that members of the PMC “have been tricked into taking part in [Wagner group chief Evgeny] Prigozhin’s criminal gamble,” adding that some Wagner fighters “have already understood their mistake” and have asked the authorities for help in safely returning to their permanent deployment areas.

06:03 GMT

Russia’s National Antiterrorism Committee (NAK) has announced a “counter-terrorist operation regime” in Moscow and Moscow Region to prevent potential terrorist attacks.

 

 

05:50 GMT

Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would deliver an address soon.

05:49 GMT

Lipetsk Governor Igor Artamonov said the decision to block traffic on the M-4 highway leading to Voronezh resulted in a traffic jam. However, he said that the authorities promptly organized the distribution of food and water in the area while notifying drivers about the restrictions in advance. As a result, the length of the traffic jam decreased by three times to just 1km, he added.

05:34 GMT

Voronezh Governor Aleksandr Gusev announced that all local mass public gatherings in the near future have been canceled, while stressing that the overall situation remains stable.