Alert in Russia, after the leader of the Wagner mercenaries Yevgeny Prigozhin launched an insurrection against the Russian Ministry of Defense, and several Wagner columns including armored vehicles are marching towards Moscow.
One column was allegedly attacked by a helicopter. “The Wagner units are intact, the helicopter is burning in the woods”, Prigozhin said in an audio post on his Telegram account, adding: “We will take it as a threat and destroy everything around us”.
The Russian state prosecutor’s office announced that it had formally charged Prigozhin with armed rebellion, while the Kremlin says that President Vladimir Putin is kept informed of any new developments.
Moscow and other Russian cities are put on high alert, with armored vehicles and security filters out on the streets.
In Washington, the White House announced that President Joe Biden is being briefed on the explosive situation in Russia, and the United States is in contact with its NATO allies.
Meanwhile, the FSB reportedly said that the Wagner group is making “an irreparable mistake” and requested that Prigozhin be arrested. And the Russian Ministry of Defense claims that Ukraine has already taken advantage of the tense situation and is concentrating troops in the Bakhmut direction. The Armed Forces of Ukraine did not comment on this information.
