Russia News LIVE: Wagner Forces En route to Moscow Hit by Helicopter Fire; Latvia Tightens Border Security as US, EU Monitor Situation

Moscow mayor said “the situation is difficult” and “city services are on high alert” as Wagner forces approach the Russian capital, BNO News said.

Russia warned the West against taking advantage of an armed insurrection carried out by the Wagner mercenary group in Russia to achieve their “anti-Russian” goals. “We warn the Western countries against any hint of possible use of the domestic Russian situation to achieve their Russophobic goals,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. “All goals and objectives of the special military operation will be fulfilled,” it added.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he has been briefed on the events unfolding in Russia. “The Incident Response Group will meet today to discuss the latest developments. We’re in contact with our allies and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” he added.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey was ready to help seek a “peaceful resolution” in Russia, in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, his office said. Erdogan “underlined the importance of acting with common sense,” the presidency said in a statement. “President Erdogan said that we, as Turkey, are ready to do our part for the peaceful resolution of events in Russia as soon as possible.”

Roads are being destroyed in the Lipetsk region in an attempt to stop Wagner forces from driving into Russia’s capital Moscow, BNO News said in a report.

Russian President Vladimir Putin who vowed to fight so-called neo-Nazis in Ukraine around 500 days ago when he launched his military operation against Ukraine finds himself in a similar position that Nazi Germany leader Adolf Hitler found himself in back in 1944. READ MORE

Next 24 hours will be crucial for Russian President Vladimir Putin a convoy of rebel Wagner mercenaries made their way towards capital Moscow, CNN reported. “The Russian president is facing the most serious threat to his hold on power in all the 23 years he’s run the nuclear state. And it is staggering to behold the veneer of total control he has maintained all that time – the ultimate selling point of his autocracy – crumble overnight,” the publication wrote.

A Russian army armoured vehicle was seen passing the Kremlin as a convoy of Wagner Group were reported to be heading to the Russian capital after taking military positions in Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh, reported Reuters.

Multiple reports indicate that at 2:16 PM Moscow time (12:16 PM BST), Russian President Vladimir Putin’s presidential aircraft departed from Moscow Vnukovo Airport and proceeded in a north-west direction. According to The Guardian, FlightRadar tracking data reveals that the plane reached the Tver region, approximately 180km from Moscow, where Putin possesses a residence, before vanishing from the system. The presence of Putin on the aircraft remains unverified, and Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s spokesperson, informed the TASS news agency that the president is currently “working in the Kremlin.”

Wagner troops have entered Russia’s Lipetsk region, moving closer to Moscow, authorities were quoted as saying by BNO News.

People were spotted gathering in a street as fighters of Wagner private mercenary group are deployed near the headquarters of the Southern Military District in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, according to Reuters.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a tweet said, “Spoke today with G7 Foreign Ministers and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to discuss the ongoing situation in Russia. The United States will stay in close coordination with Allies and partners as the situation continues to develop.”

The European Union has activated a crisis response center to monitor situation in Russia. EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell said foreign affairs ministers of the G7 spoke Saturday to “exchange views” on the ongoing crisis in Russia but provided no details in his tweet. Berlin also confirmed German Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock “just discussed the situation” with her G7 counterparts.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed law allowing people to be detained for up to 30 days for violating martial law, which has so far not been declared in Russia, according to BNO News.

As the Wagner mercenary group advances, reports indicate that flights from Moscow have been fully booked. According to Der Spiegel, tickets for direct flights from Moscow to Tbilisi, Astana, and Istanbul are no longer available, reported The Guardian. Furthermore, Google Maps indicates road closures on the M4 route south of Moscow, which coincides with the path being taken by the Wagner rebels.

According to reports, President Vladimir Putin had a conversation with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during which Erdogan expressed support for the Russian leadership. Additionally, a statement from Belarus’ Security Council affirmed their alliance with Russia, stating that internal conflicts serve as a “gift to the collective West”.

Following an armed mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group, the governor of Russia’s Voronezh region stated that the military was implementing “necessary military measures” in the area as part of a counter-terrorist operation.

A machine gun position has been allegedly established by Russian soldiers on the outskirts of Moscow, reported Russian newspaper Vedomosti. According to Reuters, the gun placement was identified at the southwestern boundary of the city.

Trenches are being dug on the outskirts of Moscow, the Kyiv Post said as videos circulating on social media showed a convoy of armed vehicles belonging to Wagner mercenaries traveling along the M4 motorway. Voronezh, along with Rostov-on-Don further south, is claimed to be one of the two cities where the Wagner mercenaries have reportedly taken control.

A ‘Wagner fighter’ told Reuters that the group is gathering troops from all over Russia as local media reports stated Moscow has established defensive positions in the outskirts of Moscow.