Late Friday night, the Kremlin issued an arrest warrant for Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, after Russian intelligence accused him of advocating for an "armed rebellion."
The move came in response to Prigozhin's retaliatory threats following an alleged strike by the Russian military on a Wagner camp that reportedly resulted in the deaths of numerous fighters. The Federal Security Service (FSB) urged Wagner mercenaries to detain their leader, instructing them to "stop the columns."
Russian state TV interrupted programming to broadcast a statement from the Defence Ministry, refuting Prigozhin's claims and demanding an end to his "illegal actions."
State media reports indicate heightened security measures in Moscow and the city of Rostov, located near southeast Ukraine, in the aftermath of these developments. Earlier on Friday, Prigozhin asserted that his forces had crossed the border from Ukraine into Russia, although he provided no evidence to support this allegation.
Prigozhin warned of consequences for the Russian military, stating that "many dozens, tens of thousands of lives, of Russian soldiers will be punished," and called for an end to the perceived "evil" within the military leadership. However, Prigozhin clarified that he was not attempting a military coup.
The Kremlin has confirmed that President Vladimir Putin is aware of the situation and is receiving constant updates. Media reports suggest an ongoing power struggle between Prigozhin and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu since Russia's war against Ukraine began in February 2022.
Initially centered around Bakhmut, where the Wagner group achieved successes while the regular Russian army faced challenges elsewhere, the battle expanded to include criticisms of Shoigu's troops by Prigozhin. The Wagner chief accused the Defence Ministry of denying his mercenaries ammunition and even threatened to withdraw them.
Putin spared
Both sides sought credit for victories when they occurred. Notably, Prigozhin has refrained from criticizing President Putin but made provocative remarks on social media prior to the alleged attack on the Wagner camp.
These comments included questioning Russian motives for the war and accusing the Defence Ministry of deceiving Putin regarding the Ukrainian threat prior to his invasion in February 2022.
(With inputs from IANS)
