Mercenary Group, Wagner, Claims To Have Seized Major Russian City Rostov-on-Don
The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin (pictured), has claimed his fighters have seized “all military facilities” in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don.
The announcement comes hours after he threatened to topple Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, reported BBC News.
President Vladimir Putin said this was “a stab in the back” and pledged to punish those who had “betrayed” Russia.
Prigozhin claims this is not a military coup – but his aim seems to be to topple Russia’s military leadership.
On Friday, Prigozhin accused Russian troops of launching a rocket attack that killed scores of his fighters, a claim denied by Moscow.
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The governor of the Rostov region where Rostov-on-Don is located has asked people to refrain from travelling to the city centre and, if possible, not to leave their homes.
Rostov-on-Don is the largest city in southern Russia and is just 100km from Ukraine’s border.
It is home to the Russian southern military district command, whose 58th Combined Arms Army is fighting against Kyiv’s counteroffensive in southern Ukraine.
Wagner Group have been fighting alongside the regular Russian army in Ukraine but tension has been growing between them over how the war has been fought.
Prigozhin and President Putin used to have a close relationship.
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