Is this the beginning of the end of Putin?: This is known about Prigozhin’s uprising

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Is there a coup in Russia? Is the country facing a civil war? Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin (62) called for resistance against Russian troops on Friday. Moscow then declared him an enemy of the state and is now hunting him. Blick shows what is known so far about the situation in Russia.

On Friday, Prigozhin spoke out in a Telegram video — and dropped a bombshell. He contradicted the Kremlin’s official justification for the war in Ukraine. According to Prigozhin, Russia was never threatened by Ukraine before the invasion in February 2022. According to the mercenary boss, Russia also had nothing to fear from NATO.

Prigozhin, who has been in conflict with the Russian military leadership for months, accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (68) of starting the war against Ukraine solely out of self-interest and boasting. As a result, Russian President Vladimir Putin (70) was insufficiently informed by Shoigu and other military officials about the events in Ukraine.

Just hours later, the second scandal erupted. Prigozhin claimed that the Russian army destroyed a Wagner base behind the front with a missile attack. 2000 Wagner fighters were killed. In retaliation and to hold accountable Shoigu and Gerasimov, the commander-in-chief of Russian troops in Ukraine, he announced a “march of justice.” The target: Rostov, possibly also Moscow, according to Prigozhin.

Prigozhin is currently in Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia with his fighters. According to their own statements, the Wagner Group controls all of the city’s military installations. “Military facilities in Rostov, including the airport, are under our control,” Prigozhin said.

There are now reports that the mercenaries have already reached the city of Voronezh. As a result, she was on her way to Moscow. As the state news agency Tass reports, security measures in the Russian capital have now been drastically increased.

Checkpoints were set up on access roads to the city. Armored cars drove into Moscow at night. A state of anti-terrorism was also declared on Saturday. The governor of the Moscow region advised against travel to the southern part of the region.

The Wagner boss says he wants to talk to Defense Minister Shoigu and Chief of Staff Gerasimov about the attack on the Wagner base. Prigozhin is clearly serious. He rejects everything except a conversation with the two soldiers. “Otherwise we will continue to Moscow.”

With his actions, Prigozhin seems to have finally crossed the red line. For a long time the mercenary seemed untouchable, but that should be over now. The Prosecutor General’s Office opened a criminal case for organizing a military uprising against him. Prigozhin faces between 12 and 20 years in prison.

Meanwhile, the domestic secret service FSB called on the Wagner mercenaries to oppose Prigozhin and arrest him. According to Defense, anyone who thinks about reason need not fear the consequences.

Putin seems to have finally broken with his former cronies. In a televised speech he spoke of “betrayal”. According to Putin, Prigozhin’s divisive actions are a knife in the back of the Russian people. He gave the order to neutralize the masterminds behind the uprising. The situation in Rostov remains difficult, but victory will be achieved, Putin said. Putin spoke the following words to Prigozhin and his mercenaries: “I urge you to stop your criminal activities!”

The fact that the Russians are preoccupied with themselves at the moment should play into Ukraine’s hands. For example, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry tweeted on Friday evening: “We are watching”.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukraine has already abused “Prigozhin’s provocation”. For example, Kiev adds two new brigades to the “front lines for offensive actions” at Bakhmut.

Mykhailo Podoliak (51), a close adviser to Ukrainian President Zelensky (45), calls Prigozhin’s move an “anti-terrorist operation”. In any case, someone has to lose, Prigozhin or his opponents. “Everything has just begun in Moscow,” Podoliak writes.

US President Biden (80) was informed on Friday evening about the developing situation in Russia. The White House is closely following the power struggle between Prigozhin and the Russian military leadership. According to media reports, Biden does not want to make contact until the United States knows exactly what is going on. (ceded)

Source: Blick