Russia Wagner Rebellion Live: Mercenary Forces Leaving Russia's Southern Voronezh Region, Governor Says
Russia Wagner Rebellion Live: Follow this live blog for live and the latest updates on the Russia Wagner rebellion developments.
Wagner forces leaving Russia's southern Voronezh region, governor says, as per AFP
The rebellious Russian mercenary commander who ordered his troops to march on Moscow before abruptly reversing course will move to neighboring Belarus and not face prosecution, the Kremlin said Saturday, as part of a deal to defuse a crisis that represented the most significant challenge to President Vladimir Putin in his more than two decades in power.
The charges against Yevgeny Prigozhin for mounting an armed rebellion will be dropped and the troops who joined him also will not be prosecuted, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced, and fighters from his Wagner Group who did not take part in the uprising will be offered contracts by the Defense Ministry. (AP)
Wagner chief says his rebel mercenary troops 'turning back' to avoid spilling blood, reports AFP.
All mass outdoor events in Moscow suspended for a week, reports BBC. The Moscow region has suspended all mass outdoor events until 1 July, the authorities announced.
It follows the mayor telling everyone to refrain from travelling around the city.
Moscow mayor urges residents to limit travel, warns of road closures, reports AFP. The city mayor has declared Monday as 'non-working' day citing a 'difficult' situation in the Russain capital.
Roads leading to Moscow in the Russian town of Lipetsk are being dug up as the Wagner rebellions move towards the capital.
Russian army vehicles passed the Kremlin as a convoy of rebel Wagner mercenaries headed toward Moscow, reports Reuters.
“Wagner fighters can still lay down their arms and avoid punishment given their achievements during the special military operation (in Ukraine), but they should do it fast,” TASS cited the lawmaker, Pavel Krasheninnikov, as saying on Saturday, reported Al-Jazeera.
Russia vows to achieve goals in Ukraine despite Wagner mutiny, reports AFP.
Moscow warns West against leveraging insurrection for 'anti-Russian' goals, reports AFP.
Amid the ongoing Wagner rebellion, Latvia has crossed borders for Russians while Estonia has also beefed-up security at the borders. Meanwhile, US, and UK are keeping a close watch on the situation.
Washington will stay "in close coordination" with its Group of Seven allies amid the unfolding crisis in Russia, where Wagner mercenaries launched a mutiny, officials said Saturday, as reported by AFP.
A video posted this morning on a Telegram channel linked to the Wagner Group shows its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, meeting with Russia's Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, reported BBC.
BBC Verify has used biometric facial comparison tools to confirm, with a high degree of confidence, the identity of Yevkurov.
A video posted this morning on a Telegram channel linked to the Wagner Group shows its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, meeting with Russia's Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, reported BBC.
BBC Verify has used biometric facial comparison tools to confirm, with a high degree of confidence, the identity of Yevkurov.
Mutinous Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin says his troops did not need to fire a single shot when they took control of the headquarters of Russia’s Southern Military District in Rostov, reported AL-Jazeera.
However, he said his men had been fired on by artillery and helicopters en route to Rostov.
He said he thought he had the support of the Russian people for what he calls his “march of justice”.
Residents in Russia's Voronezh are stuck in long lines trying to fill up their car gasoline tanks.
The rebel Wagner troops move towards the Russian capital of Moscow as battle rages in Rostov between the two forces.
Pro-war Russian nationalists led by a former FSB security service officer say they will soon publish a plan of action to respond to an armed mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group, reported Al-Jazeera.
The Russian nationalist group, known as the “Club of Angry Patriots”, said in a statement that a civil war could lead to a humiliating military defeat for the Russian army in Ukraine and warned that Russia was on the brink of catastrophe.
Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has accused the Russian military of attacking his advancing troops as the rebellion continues.
Background
Russia Wagner Rebellion Live: Welcome to ABP Live's coverage of developments on the Russia Wagner rebellion.
The chief of mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who claimed that his forces had shot down a Russian military helicopter, has said that his troops were prepared to give their lives as he vowed to topple Russia's military leadership, as reported by the news agency AFP. "All of us are ready to die. All 25,000, and then another 25,000," he said, as quoted by AFP. "We are dying for the Russian people," he said. Reacting to Prigozhin, Federal Security Service in a statement said that his statements and actions are in fact a call to start an armed civil conflict on the territory of the Russian Federation.
“Prigozhin’s statements and actions are in fact a call to start an armed civil conflict on the territory of the Russian Federation and a stab in the back to Russian servicemen fighting pro-fascist Ukrainian forces," the Russian security agency’s statement read, as quoted by The Guardian. In a challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin urged Russians to join his forces and punish Moscow’s military leadership. Anti-Kremlin figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky also urged Russians to support Wagner chief, as reported by AFP.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said, "everything is just beginning in Russia," as quoted by the news agency AFP. This comes after the head of Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin announced that he was inside the army HQ in southern Russia's Rostov-on-Don and that his fighters have taken control of the city's military sites, including an aerodrome.
Russia Says Wagner's Action 'Stab In Back'
After Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin vowed to take action against Russia's military leadership, Russian President Vladimir Putin said 'decisive actions' will be taken against the 'traitors' who organized the rebellion. He dubbed it as a 'stab in the back' and 'betrayal' to Russia arisng out of his 'personal ambition'. On the other hand, an aide of Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, "everything is just beginning in Russia," as quoted by the news agency AFP.
The head of Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin on Saturday announced that he was inside the army HQ in southern Russia's Rostov-on-Don and that his fighters have taken control of the city's military sites, including an aerodrome.
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