Power struggle with Prigozhin
Moscow imposes “anti-terrorist measures”
6/24/2023 7:26 am
The power struggle between the Russian military leadership and Prigozhin is escalating: According to his own statements, the Wagner boss has already taken over the army headquarters in the south of the country. And the capital is also preparing for another conflict.
In view of the escalating conflict between the Russian army and the Wagner mercenary group, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin has put “anti-terrorist measures” in place in the capital Moscow. For example, increased traffic controls have already been introduced on the streets, he wrote on his Telegram channel in the morning. In addition, restrictions on mass events are possible.
“As a result of the incoming information, anti-terrorist measures are being taken in Moscow to strengthen security measures,” wrote Sobyanin. He asked the more than 13 million inhabitants of the metropolis for their understanding. The governor of the region around Moscow, Andrei Vorobyov, also wrote on Telegram about increased security measures. Vorobyov also called on people, if possible, to avoid private car trips in the direction of southern Russia, where the situation is currently particularly tense.
On Friday evening, the head of Wagner’s private army, Yevgeny Prigozhin, accused the Russian military leadership of attacking a camp of its mercenary troops with artillery, helicopters and rockets, killing many of his men. He then threatened to clean up the Russian military leadership and said he had 25,000 men under his command who would now explain why such arbitrariness prevailed in the country.
After the serious allegations, Russian law enforcement authorities then launched investigations into Prigozhin for attempted armed insurgency. However, he declared that he wanted to continue his fight against the power apparatus in Moscow. In a voice message he announced that he wanted to invade the city of Rostov-on-Don in the border region with Ukraine. The headquarters of the Russian army for the south of the country is located there. According to his own statements, his Wagner mercenaries already have the city under control.
A dispute between Wagner boss Prigozhin, actually a confidante of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the Russian military leadership has been escalating for months. Wagner accuses the Ministry of Defense of poor leadership in the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and has repeatedly sharply criticized Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.