By urging an armed uprising to remove Russia's defense minister, the owner of the Wagner private military contractor issued his most direct threat to the Kremlin to date.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner, claimed in an audio message on Friday that his troops would now punish Russia's defense minister and chief of general staff while directing other units to disperse and cease all resistance.
Additionally, Prigozhin accused Sergey Shoigu, Russia's military minister, with "cowardly fleeing" from Rostov and directing an assault on Wagner soldiers.
Despite the fact that the result of the conflict was still unknown, it was likely to significantly impede Moscow's military effort since Kyiv's soldiers were probing Russian positions in the early phases of a counteroffensive.
Early on Saturday morning, Prigozhin asserted that his troops had entered Russia from Ukraine and had arrived in Rostov. He stated that there had been no opposition from young conscripts at checkpoints and that his troops "aren't fighting against children."
“But we will destroy anyone who stands in our way,” he said in one of a series of angry video and audio recordings posted on social media beginning late Friday. “We are moving forward and will go until the end.”
The video has been criticized by Russia's defense ministry, which referred to it as a "information provocation."
Russian President Vladimir Putin is aware of the footage, according to a Kremlin official.
"All the occurrences involving Prigozhin have been reported to President Putin. The representative indicated that the required actions are being done.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner, claimed in an audio message on Friday that his troops would now punish Russia's defense minister and chief of general staff while directing other units to disperse and cease all resistance.
Additionally, Prigozhin accused Sergey Shoigu, Russia's military minister, with "cowardly fleeing" from Rostov and directing an assault on Wagner soldiers.
Despite the fact that the result of the conflict was still unknown, it was likely to significantly impede Moscow's military effort since Kyiv's soldiers were probing Russian positions in the early phases of a counteroffensive.
Early on Saturday morning, Prigozhin asserted that his troops had entered Russia from Ukraine and had arrived in Rostov. He stated that there had been no opposition from young conscripts at checkpoints and that his troops "aren't fighting against children."
“But we will destroy anyone who stands in our way,” he said in one of a series of angry video and audio recordings posted on social media beginning late Friday. “We are moving forward and will go until the end.”
The video has been criticized by Russia's defense ministry, which referred to it as a "information provocation."
Russian President Vladimir Putin is aware of the footage, according to a Kremlin official.
"All the occurrences involving Prigozhin have been reported to President Putin. The representative indicated that the required actions are being done.
