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Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner paramilitary group, accused Russia’s military of launching missile strikes on his training camps and killing “an enormous amount” of troops, and pledged to retaliate, raising the prospect of open conflict within Russia.
The ministry of defense in Moscow denied his claim, dismissing it as an “information provocation.”
For the past several months, Prigozhin has been making increasingly scathing statements against Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov. Earlier on Friday, he accused Shoigu of leading Russia into war on Ukraine on a false narrative.
“The evil that the military leadership of the country brings forward must be stopped. They have forgotten the word justice, and we will return it,” Prigozhin said in an audio recording posted on Wagner’s social media Friday.
“Anyone attempting resistance will be considered a threat and immediately destroyed. This includes all the checkpoints on our path and any aircraft above our heads.”
Prigozhin’s recordings were posted Friday on numerous social-media outlets associated with Wagner, including his company.
“This is not a military coup, this is a march of justice,” he said. “Our actions do not impede the troops.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense tried earlier this month to control Wagner, which has tens of thousands of battle-hardened troops and its own tanks, multiple-launch rocket systems and aircraft, by demanding all paramilitary groups and private military companies sign formal contracts to come under the ministry’s control.
Prigozhin said that Wagner was ready to find a way to comply with the order.
“But seeing that we are unbroken, they launched missile strikes on our rear bases. An enormous amount of our combat comrades have died. We will decide how to respond to this crime. The next step is ours,” he said.
He added that the administration of President Vladimir Putin, the government, the police and the Russian National Guard will function as normal “once we finish.”
“Justice in the armed forces will be restored, and after that justice in all of Russia,” Prigozhin said.
In Friday’s recording, Prigozhin said that he has 25,000 men under arms but also considers the entire army, and the entire Russian society, his strategic reserve.
Russian commentators reacted to this turn of events with shock.
“God save Russia,” posted Oleg Tsaryov, a former Ukrainian lawmaker who has been a prominent Russian politician since 2014.
Putin has been informed about the situation around Prigozhin and all necessary measures are being taken, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to state news media.
Russia’s FSB security service has opened a criminal case against Prigozhin on charges of inciting mutiny, according to state media.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-shoots-down-russian-cruise-missile-barrage-9d9da03a
The ministry of defense in Moscow denied his claim, dismissing it as an “information provocation.”
For the past several months, Prigozhin has been making increasingly scathing statements against Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov. Earlier on Friday, he accused Shoigu of leading Russia into war on Ukraine on a false narrative.
“The evil that the military leadership of the country brings forward must be stopped. They have forgotten the word justice, and we will return it,” Prigozhin said in an audio recording posted on Wagner’s social media Friday.
“Anyone attempting resistance will be considered a threat and immediately destroyed. This includes all the checkpoints on our path and any aircraft above our heads.”
Prigozhin’s recordings were posted Friday on numerous social-media outlets associated with Wagner, including his company.
“This is not a military coup, this is a march of justice,” he said. “Our actions do not impede the troops.”
The Russian Ministry of Defense tried earlier this month to control Wagner, which has tens of thousands of battle-hardened troops and its own tanks, multiple-launch rocket systems and aircraft, by demanding all paramilitary groups and private military companies sign formal contracts to come under the ministry’s control.
Prigozhin said that Wagner was ready to find a way to comply with the order.
“But seeing that we are unbroken, they launched missile strikes on our rear bases. An enormous amount of our combat comrades have died. We will decide how to respond to this crime. The next step is ours,” he said.
He added that the administration of President Vladimir Putin, the government, the police and the Russian National Guard will function as normal “once we finish.”
“Justice in the armed forces will be restored, and after that justice in all of Russia,” Prigozhin said.
In Friday’s recording, Prigozhin said that he has 25,000 men under arms but also considers the entire army, and the entire Russian society, his strategic reserve.
Russian commentators reacted to this turn of events with shock.
“God save Russia,” posted Oleg Tsaryov, a former Ukrainian lawmaker who has been a prominent Russian politician since 2014.
Putin has been informed about the situation around Prigozhin and all necessary measures are being taken, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to state news media.
Russia’s FSB security service has opened a criminal case against Prigozhin on charges of inciting mutiny, according to state media.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-shoots-down-russian-cruise-missile-barrage-9d9da03a