Earlier on Friday, Wagner Group PMC chieftain Yevgeny Prigozhin accused Russian Defense Minister Sergei “the Plywood Marshall” Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov of deliberately sabotaging the Russian war effort. Prigozhin referred a criminal complaint to the Investigative Committee of Russia, demanding on his Telegram channel that Shoigu and Gerasimov “must be held responsible for the genocide of the Russian people, the murder of tens of thousands of Russian citizens and the transfer of Russian territories to the enemy. Moreover, the transfer is deliberate, just like the murder of Russian citizens and genocide. Shoigu has a genocide on a national basis.” He released an audio recording:
“PMC Wagner Commanders’ Council made a decision: the evil brought by the military leadership of the country must be stopped. They neglect the lives of soldiers. They forgot the word “justice”, and we will bring it back. Those, who destroyed today our guys, who destroyed tens, tens of thousands of lives of Russian soldiers will be punished. I’m asking: no one resist. Everyone who will try to resist, we will consider them a danger and destroy them immediately, including any checkpoints on our way. And any aviation that we see above our heads. I’m asking everyone to remain calm, do not succumb to provocations, and remain in their houses. Ideally, those along our way, do not go outside. After we finished what we started, we will return to the frontline to protect our motherland. Presidential authority, Government, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Rosgvardia, and other departments will continue operating as before. We will deal with those who destroy Russian soldiers. And we will return to the frontline. Justice in the Army will be restored. And after this, justice for the whole of Russia.”
Audio. pic.twitter.com/hnuu42JhmY
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) June 23, 2023
Shortly afterward, Prigozhin accused the Russian military of attacking one of his training camps in Ukraine.
Prigozhin’s relationship with the Russian high command has been volatile for some time. He’s accused the Russian Army of killing his men by depriving them of artillery support, insulted Shoigu and Gerasimov repeatedly, and pulled his troops out of combat in Bakhmut.
In the meantime, Russia’s SSO, their strategic special operations force unit, has occupied the Russian Defense Ministry. At this juncture, no one is sure what they are doing there.
Military equipment near the building of the State Duma and the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. pic.twitter.com/craWu7zMJt
— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 23, 2023
The FSB and SOBR have established roadblocks on the Moscow-Voronezh-Rostov-on-Don road. It is suspected that if Prigozhin has made a move to take over the government, these forces would be his allies.
The "road" in question. pic.twitter.com/UO9563P92g
— Forged News (@forged_news) June 23, 2023
Russian television channels have been hacked, playing Prigozhin’s call to arms. And Prigozhin has publicly urged Rosgvardiya to come to his aid.
Prigozhin, via AP Wagner channel, calls for Rosgvardia to join him, or "things will go badly":
"The most promising politician appeals to the National Guard (Rosgvardia) with an offer that is better not refused. Obeying criminal orders and attempting to interfere with the planned… pic.twitter.com/KoQkpilLJC
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) June 23, 2023
CENTER OF MOSCOW NOW
Prigozhin has called on the Russian National Guard to join his side to fight against the Russian Army. pic.twitter.com/lljOXj3NvH
— Jason Jay Smart (@officejjsmart) June 23, 2023
Other standard coup behaviors were also present.
TV channels were hacked in Russia and Prigozhin's audio recordings were played. pic.twitter.com/S8PtUfYlRo
— Clash Report (@clashreport) June 23, 2023
There are reports of Russian Army units and Wagner fighters engaging in firefights, and of some Russian Army units rallying to Wagner’s cause.
A rattled and somewhat inebriated former commander of Russian troops in Ukraine, Sergey Surovkin (see Putin’s War, Week 46. Putin Shakes up the Army Command, Prigozhin Shows How It’s Done, and Western Tanks for Ukraine Are on the Way) appeared in a video appeal asking soldiers to return to their barracks.
General "Armageddon" Surovikin published a video calling Wagner to "obey the Supreme Commander".
"I have just returned by the order of the Ministry of Defence from the zero line, where our forces, our commanders, our soldiers, volunteers carry out the objective, fighting the… pic.twitter.com/oUgGWmlHsI
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) June 23, 2023
Only minutes ago, Prigozhin announced his forces were entering Belgorod and intended to take control of Rostov-on-Don.
❗️New audio statement by Prigozhin (00:03 BST), stating Wagner "crossed state borders in all areas" and is now entering Belgorod, promising to "destroy anything standing in their way":
"The current situation: today, we were dealt a missile strike. After this strike, helicopters…
— Dmitri (@wartranslated) June 23, 2023
Curiously, no one has come to Wagner’s St. Petersburg high rise, even though he is rumored to be there.
There are reports on Telegram channels about searches taking place at the "Wagner Center" in St. Petersburg. However, videos published by "Fontanka" and Sota suggest that there is no one present near the building.
Anna Zamaraeva, a spokeswoman for the Wagner Center, also denied… pic.twitter.com/YVt8jOALDv
— 301 Military (@301military) June 23, 2023
Whatever is going on, it is not fake. Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry “Porn ‘Stache” Peskov, has acknowledged the goings-on.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says Putin is aware of Wagner's Yevgeny Prigozhin basically declaring a coup against the army and claims "all the necessary measures are being taken." Whatever those are.https://t.co/YvlB61tBGp
— max seddon (@maxseddon) June 23, 2023
TASS and RIA Novosti reported that the Russian security services have started a mutiny investigation of Prigozhin.
Russian security service starts mutiny probe after statements by Prigozhin — committeehttps://t.co/vBbAIr2p8j pic.twitter.com/9kNjOpUfhx
— TASS (@tassagency_en) June 23, 2023
The Rubicon has been crossed.
According Russian regime media “RIA” the FSB has opened a “criminal case against Prigozhin for calling an armed rebellion”.
Peskov also announces that Putin “has been informed”.
There is no coming back from this. Somebody is going to lose his… pic.twitter.com/njn27R58zp
— (((Tendar))) (@Tendar) June 23, 2023
If this drama were being carried out in English with no mention in Russia, I’d be tempted to say it was some kind of hoax. But it is playing out on Russian Telegram channels and in Russian state media, and major power players are involved. In this case, Prigozhin has said that the “special military operation” in Ukraine is unjustified and “based on lies.”
#Prigozhin #WagnerGroup #WagnerPMC #Ukraine #UkraineWar #UkraineRussiaWar
Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin says Moscow's war in Ukraine is based on lieshttps://t.co/ZqfX2w9f6q— Daniel Brobecker (@DanielBrobecker) June 23, 2023
I’d be the last person to claim that I have insights into what is going on with Prigozhin and the Russian military. Whatever it is, I think it is safe to say that it is not aiding military operations in Ukraine or building public support in Russia.
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