Posted on 06/24/2023 7:53:32 AM PDT by marcusmaximus
Moscow is preparing for war and battening down the hatches as soldiers build outposts and military vehicles flood the streets ahead of the expected arrival of Russia's Wagner militia forces.
Wagner chief Yevgney Prigozhin initiated a military coup against Putin overnight, which has seen the group take key cities and threaten the President, who called them 'traitors'.
Putin addressed the Russian people on Saturday, warning that the military leader had 'stabbed him in the back', as Moscow prepares to enter into lockdown, with troops digging in in preparation to defend the city.
Prigozhin and his feared 25,000-strong Wagner militia took control of the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, saying they are 'ready to die' for their 'march of justice', and have been heading north in a hundreds-strong convoy of armoured vehicles.
The unit passed through the halfway city of Voronezh and have reached as far north as Yelets as they advance on Moscow, seeing negligible resistance.
A message posted on the Wagner Telegram channel on Saturday said: 'Putin made the wrong choice. All the worse for him. Soon we will have a new president.'
Footage on social media has shown large convoys of troops heading north from Voronezh, thought to be Wagner mercenaries. They are also said to be on their way to other key cities including Krasnodar and Volgograd.
Russia has responded by increasing security in Moscow, mobilising troops who are set to defend against the incursion, and calling for the military to rally around President Putin.
All public events have been cancelled, as Putin called close ally Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko to brief him on the situation.
Pro-Putin forces on the outskirts of the city were meanwhile seen digging in against the Wagner coup army heading towards the capital.
Russian troops were pictured establishing positions at a bridge
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
“It’s 700 miles from Rostov to Moscow. That’s further than Paris to Berlin. There are a couple of hundred Wagner guys doing this. Moscow is around 13 million people.
They aren’t heading to Moscow. LOL”
The fact that they are making such rapid progress with little or no resistance should tell you something. Either significant elements of the Russian military/police are coordinating with Wagner or they have chosen to stand aside and let Wagner roll on through. Either scenario is bad news for the Kremlin. If this continues on course, expect to see unrest and rebellion in Russia’s eastern provinces where the Ukraine war is very unpopular.
If they go 700 miles from Rostov to Moscow and take Moscow with a few hundred, or even a few thousand men, they will kick Patton right into the dustbin of history.
Good fun.... lol.
If the reported events are not real why does the google traffic map in Russia look so unusual?
Surovikin just defected to Wagner.
But they are already holding two regional capitals, and have taken over the headquarters of the Russian MOD southern division.
Oh, and apparently a couple of Russian air force bases.
Based on last two hours (looking at German news and Twitter feeds)...it would appear that interstate crew of Wagner is probably half-way up to Moscow, and whatever remains in Rostov...is there to keep Russian Army folks busy and not reacting to the coup.
I’d just suggest public support in Rostov is either neutral or pro-Wagner at present. Not sure how it’d be viewed in Moscow.
Airplane typically used for Putin left 3 to 4 hours ago...toward St Petersberg. Doesn’t mean he’s on board though. Same for number 2 guy....he left in some private plane with his family. Nothing much from Duma folks today.
Lot of video seen on Twitter of preparations around Moscow....but I doubt if there’s more than 5,000 troops in the local area, and the police are mostly worthless.
Except so far that seems like exactly what is happening. With the exception of a couple of helicopter attacks on them which they repulsed.
“So what is his goal? Put an end to Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine?”
His goal is to not have the Army and Ministry of Defense in charge of Wagner. He wants to be fully in charge, including strategically. He was an advocate of widening the war. Than out of the blue, he made that statement that the whole rationale for the war was dishonest.
He has two options, face arrest or death as this mutiny is put down, or flee to the west. Watch for him to defect and try to work a deal. And the DC/London axis would pay handsomely if he would.
He is a mercenary. They always follow the money, and are looking out for their own survival above all.
You’re probably right. This Wagner force will cross 700 miles, with no opposition, and have Moscow in hand by Sunday night. Historians will throw away studies of Schwarzkopf’s and Patton’s sweeps and only talk Wagner.
You’re right. LOL
“A militia of 25,000 is barely enough to fill a soccer stadium. Just saying.”
The million dollar questions are will they be picking up the numbers along the way and will they meet any significant resistance.
Seriously? This is like the best case scenario for us. The war will soon be over, Putin will be history, Russia will worry about its own internals for a awhile instead of dreaming of imperialism. Humbling to say the least. And it won’t cost us any more sending bucks to Ukraine. What’s not to like?
That was a bizarre post.
Yes they have taken some military facilities but 25K vs 1M doesn’t seem like very good odds in the long run. But of course that may depend on where Russian sympathies and loyalties ultimately lie.
Ironically, this is the same date Napoleon started his March into Russia.
His goal is to not have the Army and Ministry of Defense in charge of Wagner. He wants to be fully in charge, including strategically.
Yes. Except that will never happen.
“The fact that they are making such rapid progress”
Where are they now? I haven’t seen that they left Rostov. They were in a rest and refit area in the rear, and Rostov was the nearest town. The rapid progress was from the rest zone, 5 miles down the road into Rostov. If a Russian unit saw them rolling somewhere, they wouldn’t simply attack them. They would have no clue what was happening. This is as far as he goes. He won’t leave Rostov despite Brit/DC axis propaganda.
No, he did not. He met with him. He told them to knock the mutiny off.
March for justice? Didn’t we do that in the 1990’s?
And it won’t cost us any more sending bucks to Ukraine.
***********
Do you seriously think this would end our spending there? Tons more will go into rebuilding, fortifying and guaranteeing Ukraine’s security. The spending will continue regardless.
I imagine the Chinese are stunned at Russia’s weakness. They must be salivating at the thought of walking into Siberia.
I am thrilled that Russia is eating itself. But don’t think for a second that this is good for the west.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.