Putsch against Putin in Russia – that is known so far

From BZ/afp

He called on the Russians to join the Wagner fighters. Since then, Prigozhin says he and his soldiers have taken control of the military installations in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.

What was the trigger of the rebellion?

For months, mercenary boss Prigozhin has been fighting a power struggle with the leadership of the Russian military in connection with the deployment of his troops in the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. Again and again he sharply attacked Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valeri Gerasimov, expressed his frustration at supply problems, demanded more ammunition and lamented the lack of support from Moscow.

Eventually, the mercenary leader’s anger apparently gained the upper hand: On Friday, Prigozhin accused the Russian military leadership of retreating from the front and misleading the public about the true extent of the losses. He also openly questioned the reason for the war mentioned by Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin: “The war was used for the self-portrayal of a bunch of bastards.”

He then accused the Russian military leadership of ordering rocket attacks on his troops, killing numerous Wagner mercenaries. The Wagner boss vowed to “stop” the Russian military leadership. His men then advanced from Ukraine to Russia on Saturday night.

How is Moscow reacting?

The Kremlin announced on Saturday night that the “necessary measures” would be taken. Russia has since tightened security in Moscow and regions like Rostov and Lipetsk.

Kremlin chief Putin described the uprising of the Wagner troops as a “deadly threat” to Russia and called for “unity” in the country. A civil war must be avoided. He branded the rebellious Wagner fighters as “traitors” who would “inevitably be punished”.

Who are the Wagner fighters?

The Russian private army is mentioned almost everywhere where there are conflicts. In addition to Ukraine, the Wagner group’s mercenaries are associated with crisis regions such as Mali, Syria, Libya and the Central African Republic.

Reports of the existence of the Wagner squad first surfaced at the start of the war in eastern Ukraine in 2014. Businessman Prigozhin – a close confidant of Putin for years – admitted last year that he founded the group.

The Wagner mercenaries, recruited to a large extent from Russian prisons, have played an important role in the Ukraine war in recent months, especially in the protracted and costly battle for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

What impact does the uprising have on the Russian war in Ukraine?

For Putin, the mutiny is the most serious challenge and the biggest security crisis in the country since he came to power in 1999. A Ukrainian counter-offensive is underway to retake areas from Russian control in Kiev – the insurgency could divert attention and resources from the fighting in withdraw from Ukraine.

The Ukrainian army said it was monitoring the power struggle in Russia. Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maljar spoke of a “unique opportunity” for Kiev. Moscow warned that the Ukrainian military was using the situation to rally its soldiers for an attack near Bakhmut.