Prigozhin vows to ‘end’ Shoigu, FSB charges Wagner with ‘inciting insurrection’ – updated

Yevgeny Prigozhin has accused Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of ordering an attack on Wagner mercenaries and issued a call to “put an end” to the minister’s leadership. Later on June 23, Russia’s FSB security service has charged the Wagner Group with “inciting an armed insurrection.”

Updated at 08:01 a.m. – Prigozhin has released another video, in which he apparently is standing within the grounds of Russia's Southern Military District HQ in Rostov-on-Don, claiming to have seized control of all military facilities in the city, including the nearby airfield. He is then seen telling local commanders that his troops will hold Rostov until Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and the Head of the General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, arrive to meet with him.

He once again accused the Russian Air Force of attacking Wagner troops and "civilians," and threatened to "march on Moscow" if his demands are not met.

At the same time, Prigozhin said he will not interfere with the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.

Updated at 06:13 a.m. – The Mayor of Moscow, Sergey Sobyanin, told Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti that "anti-terrorist measures" are being carried out in the city, including introducing checkpoints on the roads.

Rostov governor Vasili Golubev advised civilians to avoid downtown Rostov-on-Don.

"In connection with the current situation, I ask you to refrain from traveling to the city center and, if possible, not to leave your homes," he wrote in another Telegram post.

Updated at 05:03 a.m. – Helicopters and military vehicles were spotted all across Russia's Rostov Oblast, while reginal governor Vasili Golubev urged locals to "remain calm" and stay indoors. It remains difficult to determine which of these armored vehicles belong to the Wagner Group, as opposed to the regular Russian army.

"The situation that has developed requires the utmost concentration of all forces to maintain order," Golubev said in a Telegram post.

"Law enforcement officials are doing everything necessary to ensure the safety of the region's population. I'm asking everyone to remain calm and refrain from going outside."

Meanwhile, Prigozhin claimed his mercenaries have shot down a Russian helicopter that was allegedly attempting to fire at them.

Updated at 02:52 a.m. – Prigozhin recorded another audio message, in which he claims that Wagner troops have crossed into Russian territory and are approaching Rostov-on-Don. According to him, Russian border guards did not attempt to stop the movement of his mercenaries. He added that the Russian military has been ordered to eliminate Wagner troops with air strikes.

An unnamed U.S. official told CNN that Washington is monitoring the developing situation in Russia, adding that the conflict between Wagner Group and the Russian military is unlikely to be an elaborate ruse on Moscow's part.

"This is real," CNN quoted the official.

Late in the night on June 23, numerous photos and videos circulating in Russian social media show military vehicles being deployed to the streets around central Moscow and Rostov-on-Don. Russian news channels interrupted their regular programming to deliver an emergency broadcast, in which security services urged troops to disregard the claims made by Prigozhin and disobey his orders.

Read also: Prigozhin alleges Wagner mercenaries captured Russian lieutenant colonel

In a Telegram post, Prigozhin claimed Shoigu was in Russia’s Rostov, personally overseeing a military operation to deliver air strikes against a Wagner military camp.

"Shoigu just cowardly fled from Rostov like a girl, in order to avoid explaining why he ordered helicopters to destroy our men," said Prigozhin.

"This rat will be stopped. We are 25,000-strong and we will deal with the lawlessness that is happening in the country. As a tactical reserve, 25,000 (Wagner troops) are waiting, and as a strategic one – we have the whole army and the entire country. Whoever wants to join us can do so. We need to put an end to this disgrace."

Earlier, Prigozhin claimed that the Russian Ministry of Defense deceived the Russians and the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin while preparing the invasion of Ukraine.

Read also: Wagner PMC uses Twitter and Facebook for recruitment – report

Russia’s Defense Ministry denied attacking Wagner troops.

Read also: 32,000 former Russian prisoners return home after fighting in Ukraine, says Prigozhin

Russian state-owned news agency RIA Novosti subsequently reported that the FSB has opened criminal proceedings in regards to Wagner Group “inciting an armed insurrection.”

“In connection to these statements, the FSB has opened criminal proceedings into an incitement of an armed insurrection; we urge to cease this illegal activity immediately,” the message quotes Russia’s National Anti-Terrorist Committee.

Read also: Wagner PMC seeks to recruit gamers with no combat experience

Another Russian news agency, TASS, reported that the Kremlin is aware of the apparent armed conflict between the Wagner Group and Russia’s Defense Ministry.

“Vladimir Putin is aware of the situation unfolding around the founder of Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin; all the necessary steps are being taken,” Putin’s Press Secretary, Dmitriy Peskov said.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine