Wagner Group mercenaries enter Russian military district | Watch video
2 min read 24 Jun 2023, 10:23 AM ISTVideos on social media reportedly show Wagner forces entering Rostov, home to the Russian military headquarters for the southern region, after the chief of the mercenary group vowed to topple Russian military leadership.
PremiumHours after the chief of the mercenary group Wagner vowed to topple Russian military leadership, videos on social media reportedly showed that its forces entered Rostov, home to the Russian military headquarters for the southern region.
“All of us are ready to die. All 25,000, and then another 25,000. We are dying for the Russian people," Prigozhin said in a video message. Following the warning, the Russian authorities have also tightened security measures in several regions.
Livemint could not independently verify the video and report.
Prigozhin said his forces, who have spearheaded much of Russia's offensive in Ukraine, had entered the southern Russian region of Rostov, and had also shot down a Russian military helicopter.
The mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin said on Saturday that "anti-terror" measures were being taken in the Russian capital after the chief of mercenary group Wagner vowed to bring down the country's military leadership.
"In connection with the incoming information in Moscow, anti-terrorist measures aimed at strengthening security are being taken," he said.
In January 2023, Prigozhin had claimed full credit for capturing the Donetsk region salt-mining town of Soledar in Ukraine and accused the Russian Defense Ministry of trying to steal Wagner’s glory. In the same month, the Biden administration designated Russia’s Wagner Group a transnational criminal organization.
Moreover, he has repeatedly also complained that Russian military failed to supply Wagner with sufficient ammunition to capture Bakhmut and threatened to pull out his men, Associated Press has reported.
Earlier in May, the leader of Russian paramilitary group Wagner had also threatened to withdraw his troops from the front line in Ukraine, citing growing losses, in a move that raises fresh tensions between Moscow’s military leaders ahead of an expected offensive by Kyiv’s forces. In the same month, he had also accused the top generals of Russia of "deceiving" President Vladimir Putin over the war with Ukraine.
The comment came after Prigozhin publicly expressed his disappointment over the troops of the Russian military, whom he accused of fleeing their position near Bakhmut in east Ukraine.
