The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is calling on Wagner Group fighters to "not make irreparable mistakes" after the private military company's (PMC) leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, declared war on the country's Ministry of Defense.
Prigozhin's call for conflict follows months of building tensions between Wagner and the Russian Defense Ministry while both forces continue to push Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On Friday, Prigozhin said that his troops had been attacked by the Russian military, leading to the Wagner PMC's council to declare war in response.
Russia has denied the accusations by Prigozhin, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been made aware of the declaration. Prigozhin's comments have also been criticized by the FSB, who told the Russian-backed news outlet TASS that a criminal case has been opened in response to the declaration for war.
"Prigozhin's statements and actions are in fact calls for the start of an armed civil conflict on the territory of the Russian Federation and are a stab in the back of Russian servicemen fighting pro-fascist Ukrainian forces," the security service said.
The FSB also stated that Prigozhin's claims regarding "the missile and bomb attacks allegedly inflicted by the Russian Defense Ministry on the rear units of the Wagner PMC is untrue and is an informational provocation."
"We call on PMC fighters not to make irreparable mistakes, to stop any forceful actions against the Russian people, not to carry out Prigozhin's criminal and treacherous orders, and to take measures to detain him," the FSB said.
The security service added that the Armed Forces of Russia remain steadfast on its "missions" along the frontlines in Ukraine despite the calls of violence from Wagner. Prigozhin said earlier in the day Friday that his troops would resume fighting in Ukraine once the battle with the Russian Defense Ministry is finished.
It is unclear how Putin plans to respond to Prigozhin's declaration. According to Russian law enforcement agencies who spoke to TASS, security measures throughout Moscow "have been strengthened" to protect "the most important facilities, state authorities and transport infrastructure facilities."
While some have speculated if the conflict could lead to an all-out Russian civil war, national security expert Dmitri Alperovitch, founder of the think tank Silverado Policy Accelerator, predicted on Twitter Friday that Wagner troops would quickly be "crushed" if fighting did ensue.
"No, this is not likely to turn into a civil war," Alperovitch tweeted. "It is what in Russia is called 'razborki' (gangland warfare). And it looks like one gang is about to get totally crushed because the other has all the weapons and the security services on their side."
According to a report from CNN, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge said in a statement that the White House is "monitoring the situation" in Russia "and will be consulting with allies and partners on these developments."
Newsweek has emailed the Russian Defense Ministry and the Wagner Group for comment. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's office has also been emailed for comment.
