Russian mercenary chief says his forces are rebelling, some left Ukraine and entered Russia city

AP via Yahoo ^ | June 23rd, 2023 | Unattributed

[Mariner]

The owner of the Wagner private military contractor made his most direct challenge to the Kremlin yet on Friday, calling for an armed rebellion aimed at ousting Russia’s defense minister. The security services reacted immediately by calling for the arrest of Yevgeny Prigozhin.

In a sign of how seriously the Kremlin was taking the threat, security was heightened in Moscow and in Rostov-on-Don, which is home to the Russian military headquarters for the southern region and also oversees the fighting in Ukraine.

While the outcome of the confrontation was still unclear, it appeared likely to further hinder Moscow's war effort as Kyiv's forces were probing Russian defenses in the initial stages of a counteroffensive.

Prigozhin claimed early Saturday that his forces had crossed into Russia from Ukraine and had reached Rostov, saying they faced no resistance from young conscripts at checkpoints and that his forces “aren’t fighting against children.”

[roving]

I bet I can guess where that accounting error money went.

[Renfrew]

As more reports come in, this doesn’t seem like a rash decision by Prigozhin. There is a lot of planning behind this.

He waited for the Ukraine offensive to reach a point where the Russian army would be tied up at the front.

Then he moved in behind them seizing the army’s support and logistics.

Is his goal to set-up a situation where the bulk of the Russian Army is trapped between Wagner and the Ukrainians? Those forces then have to either join him or face destruction.

[USA-FRANCE]

Prigojin said today what all sane people knew all along:
That Russia indeed completely lied about Ukraine. Ukraine was never the aggressive one, and only tries to defend itself against Russian greed and lust for imperialism.

Wagner is now supporting the Ukraine narrative and truthfulness. Way to go !!

Prigojin is merely saying that the Kremlin are a bunch of spoiled deep-state politicians suffering from greed.

[marcusmaximus]

Putin’s top general in Rostov in charge of Southern Military District just switch sides and joined Team Prigo. Prigo is now in Rostov at SMD HQ.

[NoLibZone]

Needs to happen here.

[Zhang Fei]

Ukraine ping

Mariner: [Yes, I think I spoke prematurely.

And it looks like he is taking over the regional military in Rostov.]

---

You’re thinking of the Russian population and soldiery as chess pieces of the same color as Putin, and Prigo as limited to Wagner troops. In reality, Prigo could get recruits to join him once he starts putting up numbers on the scoreboard. That’s what his earlier videos were about - establishing himself as a can-do personality among abject failures, and a commander who will do his best to give his troops everything they need to win. His selling points are an exit from Ukraine and promotions for people who join him. How effective the pitch is - we’ll see soon enough.

[Zhang Fei]

[They must believe they can defeat the Russian Army.]

---

Yeltsin did not need to defeat the Russian miltary. He got buy-ins from a couple of key commanders, and Gorby was history. Plenty of deal-making in the days ahead, and maybe some combat. Wagner was doomed to be sacrificed in Ukraine piecemeal after disbandment, so the troops are not just skilled, they’re highly-motivated. Will Putin’s troops feel good about fighting Wagner, only to be sent to Ukraine?

[kabar]

Doubt the Wagner Group will ever get to Moscow. No air cover. It would be a suicide mission against the Russian military. Also doubt the majority of the Wagner Group would follow their mutinous boss.

Suspect this will be resolved quickly.

[kabar]

BREAKING
Putin to make TV address
Russian President Vladimir Putin will make a televised address shortly, the Tass news agency quotes a Kremlin spokesman as saying.

[rbmillerjr]

” All is well “

“We will control Kyiv in short time. The anti imperialist coup plotters will be silenced. All is well “

[CapandBall]

Lol… A nice distraction, enjoy!

[kabar]

This info coming from the BBC. We should know shortly where matters now stand with the leader of the Wagner Group. Either the matter has been resolved or Putin will issue an ultimatum that any actions against the government will be dealt with harshly.

I anticipate the former.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

This whole event has a flavor of absurdity to it; even with these soldiers moving about Rostov, you still have public servants doing their work and civilians milling about as though it were a spectacle: observe.

We'll probably know more once the weekend has passed.

[Right_in_Virginia]

I bet I can guess where that accounting error money went.

[nickcarraway]

Why would he sct in this manner, unless they were working with someone else? And why were Russian forces shelling them in the first place. Except for Russia’s history of mowing down their own troops.

[nickcarraway]

I know you think Putin is some kind of infallible Demigod,a Russian Zeuss, but how can it be good when his own forces are attacking each other? Wagner is lead ny the GRU.

[nickcarraway]

I don’t think he has to worry about 20 years in prison. He will either prevail, in some fashion, or he will no longer be alive. Either way, the odds he lives 20 more years seem to be not that great.

[buwaya]

This sort of thing always seems to come with that air of absurdity. Maybe that particular absurdity is normal. When the Japs marched into Manila, city services (garbage, cleaners, city police) were all on duty, and the population was out rubbernecking.

I am working on my great-uncles wartime memoirs.

[trebb]

😂🤣😂🤪

Looks more like a head of mercenaries sees an opportunity and is willing to risk all for money and power...

[meyer]

C*A is behind this, I bet.
Someone wants WW3 really, really badly.