Moscow Mayor Says 'Situation Difficult' As Wagner Approaches, US To Stay In 'Close Coordination' With Allies. Top Points

Wagner militia were in control of Rostov-on-Don, a city of more than a million people close to the border with Ukraine, and were rapidly advancing northwards through western Russia.

New Delhi: Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to crush the rebellion staged by Wagner group after the Yevgeny Prigozhin-led militia romped towards Moscow in a lightning advance, capturing a southern city as it vowed to topple Moscow's military leadership. 

Wagner militia were in control of Rostov-on-Don, a city of more than a million people close to the border with Ukraine, and were rapidly advancing northwards through western Russia, Reuters reported.

Here are the key developments:

• Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin warned the situation in the capital was "difficult," as the Wagner group moved towards Moscow to oust Russia's military leadership. “The situation is difficult. I ask you to refrain from travelling around the city as much as possible," Sobyanin said in a statement, warning of possible road closures and also announced Monday a "non-working" day, reported AFP.


• Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, once a close ally of Putin, said his troops had taken control of the military command centre and airbase in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don. "We got to Rostov. Without a single shot we captured the HQ building," Prigozhin said, in an audio message.


• Vowing to crush the mutiny, President Vladimir Putin, in a televised address, said, “Excessive ambitions and vested interests have led to treason. It is a blow to Russia, to our people. And our actions to defend the Fatherland against such a threat will be harsh. All those who deliberately stepped on the path of betrayal, who prepared an armed insurrection, who took the path of blackmail and terrorist methods, will suffer inevitable punishment, will answer both to the law and to our people.”


• Prigozhin replied that he and his men had no intention of turning themselves in. "The president makes a deep mistake when he talks about treason. We are patriots of our motherland, we fought and are fighting for it," Prigozh said in an audio message. "We don't want the country to continue to live in corruption and deceit."


• Russia warned the West against taking advantage of the armed insurrection to achieve what Moscow termed as their "anti-Russian" goals, news agency AFP reported. "We warn the Western countries against any hint of possible use of the domestic Russian situation to achieve their Russophobic goals," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement. "All goals and objectives of the special military operation will be fulfilled," the statement added.


• Meanwhile, the United States on Saturday announced that it will stay in “close coordination” with its allies and partners as the Wagner fighters take control of some military facilities in southern Russia. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he spoke with his G7 and EU counterparts and decided to stay in in close coordination with the allies.