Wagner chief turns on Russian army
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary militia, has mounted an insurrection against the Russian armed forces. He claims they have targeted mercenaries under his control during the ongoing war in Ukraine.
In a video, posted yesterday, June 23, Prigozhin is seen accusing Russia’s defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, and the army chief of staff, Valery Gerasimov, of killing “thousands” of Wagner mercenaries by a missile barrage “from the rear” in Ukraine.
Wagner forces took over control of the city of Rostov-on-Don, one of the main nodes in Russia’s military assault on Ukraine. He reportedly met with Russia’s deputy defense minister and demanded to meet with Shoigu and Gerasimov, who he blames for the botched Ukraine war effort.
Wagner troops have also been spotted in Voronezh, a city located between Rostov and Moscow. Wagner mercenaries have threatened to drive on to the Russian capital. Russian Telegram channels have also reported that Wagner downed three Russian military helicopters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hit back against his former cook-turned-mercenary chief, saying that the response to any rebellion would be “strict, decisive and harsh.” He further referred to Prigozhin’s actions as a “stab in the back.”
The Wagner chief has maintained that Putin is not to blame for the invasion of Ukraine, nor for the attacks against his mercenaries he claimed were carried out by Russian forces.
The Wagner group emerged as an important tool in Russia’s arsenal over the past decade. Russian mercenaries have fought in numerous international conflicts, including in Syria. The Wagner group still maintains a presence in government-held parts of the country, including in the vicinity of Homs and Palmyra.