Putin promises to protect Russia in the face of the Wagner mercenary group’s military uprising.

The director of Russia’s private Wagner military firm, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and the Russian military have been at odds for a long time over the invasion of Ukraine. Their dispute recently reached a public showdown.

In an apparent challenge to one of President Vladimir Putin’s primary grounds for the conflict, Prigozhin accused Russia of targeting his forces. Russian generals responded by accusing him of attempting to overthrow Putin promises to protect Russia.

In the city of Rostov-on-Don, close to the front lines of the conflict in Ukraine where his soldiers had been engaged, Prigozhin (pronounced pree-GOH-zhin) said he was in charge of the southern military command of Russia. He entered the courtyard of the headquarters, as seen on video.

Since Putin invaded Ukraine early last year, Prigozhin’s actions have created the most significant threat to his rule. Putin pledged “decisive actions,” and thus Russian security forces fought to retake the southern part of the nation.

In videos yesterday, Prigozhin increased his criticism of the Russian military on social media. He said that “a huge number of fighters” had been slain when Russian soldiers raided Wagner encampments. His statements could not be corroborated, but he threatened to retaliate by sending forces into Russia.

• Videos indicated that troops who were reportedly part of the Wagner forces encircled the military command center in Rostov and that tanks were moving through the streets. Other important locations, such as the local Ministry of Internal Affairs, were also seen to have soldiers present.
• Videos shared online show helicopters and a wrecked vehicle on the side of the road as evidence of ongoing combat close to the western Russian city of Voronezh. According to reports, Wagner warriors had arrived in the area.
• The movement of Prigozhin’s soldiers toward Moscow was announced. We are moving forward, he said. “We’re going all the way.”
• Russia has military armored vehicles on the streets of Rostov-on-Don and Moscow, and it was transporting military equipment in convoys down the main road that connects the two cities.

Putin promised “to stabilize the situation in Rostov-on-Don”; it emerged that Russian security agents also stormed a Wagner facility in St. Petersburg. He also referred to Wagner’s activities as a treacherous, violent uprising. Prigozhin denied the charges.

The key figures

Prigozhin: Although he has been critical of Russia’s military establishment for months, his claims represented a dramatic shift. A billionaire named Prigozhin amassed wealth by securing lucrative government contracts and expanding the Wagner mercenary group thanks to his connections to Putin. (Read more about him from Anton Troianovski, the head of The Times’s Moscow bureau.)

Putin: The urgency of the issue was indicated by his brief public statement. According to Steven Lee Myers of The Times, he loves to exercise influence behind the scenes until the result is obvious. According to Putin, Prigozhin had achieved some success since Rostov, a city of a million people, had “basically been blocked” from operating normally.Putin promises to protect Russia.

Those in command: The conflict between Prigozhin and the Russian generals began during the war for the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, which his soldiers commanded on the Russian side. Sergei Shoigu, the defense minister, and Valery Gerasimov, the top general in the nation, were both charged with treason by him. He said that although their men consistently failed in the fight, they withheld supplies and ammunition from Wagner on purpose.Putin promises to protect Russia

Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said that “Russia’s weakness is obvious.” But the bloodshed persisted throughout his nation. This morning, Russian soldiers launched more than 20 missiles towards Kiev, killing at least three people. Putin promises to protect Russia

What’s next

The British military called the issue as the “most significant challenge to the Russian state in recent times” and said that “over the coming hours, the loyalty of Russia’s security forces, and especially that of the Russian State Guard, will be key to how the crisis plays out.”Putin promises to protect Russia