Latest: The Wagner commander claims that his forces have shot down Russian military helicopters, reports the AFP news agency. – A helicopter opened fire on a civilian column. It has been shot down by the Wagner group, says Prigozjin. It has not been confirmed by independent sources. Prigozhin claims that his soldiers have left Ukraine and crossed the border into Russia. – They are in the city of Rostov, which is located in the south of Russia, Prigozhin says in an audio clip on Telegram, writes Reuters. He says they have crossed the border without resistance, and that they will “crush anyone who stands in their way”, and that they are ready to go “all the way” against the Russian military. Rostov authorities are asking residents to stay indoors. – The current situation requires the maximum of all forces to maintain order. We do everything we can to preserve the safety of the residents of the area. I ask everyone to stay calm and not leave the house unnecessarily, says the city’s governor Vasiliy Golubev on Telegram. Armored vehicles are seen on a street in the southern city of Rostov-na-Donu, Russia June 24, 2023. Photo: Reuters Russian authorities have also increased security in the Lipetzk region, which is about 400 kilometers south of Moscow. A decision has been made to strengthen security measures in the region, says Governor Igor Artamonov. Who asks everyone to keep calm. Increased security in Moscow Security in Moscow is said to have been tightened on the night of Saturday, after Wagner’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, promised an uprising against the Russian army. The state news agency Tass reports that security at government buildings, transport facilities and other important parts of Moscow has been stepped up. Tass refers to a source at the security service in Russia. Prigozhin claims Russian forces have killed 2,000 of the mercenaries in Wagner, writes the AFP news agency. He points towards the Russian government and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, reports AFP on Friday evening. The details of the alleged attack, which is said to have taken place in Ukraine, are not yet known. The Wagner commander is said to have repeatedly blamed Defense Minister Sergej Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valeriy Gerasimov after Wagner soldiers lost their lives in battle. Increased security in Moscow on the night of Saturday 24 June 2023. Photo: Reuters Will stand against the Russian army – The council of the mercenary group Wagner has made a decision. The evil brought by the country’s military leadership must be stopped, says Yevgeny Prigozhin in a speech, according to the news agency. He vowed to take revenge, and urges the Russians to calm down. Yevgeny Prigozhin (left) from the time he really served as Putin’s chef, here on November 11, 2011. At the time, Vladimir Putin was prime minister. Prigozhin claims he rarely has contact with Putin now. Photo: POOL New / Reuters Prigozhin promises to “stop” the Russian army and asks Russians not to resist his forces. He says this is a “March for justice”, “not a coup”. – We are 25,000 men, and we are going to investigate why there is total lawlessness in the country, says Yevgeny Prigozhin, and encourages the Russians to join his forces. Asks Wagner soldiers to give up The Russian commander-in-chief in Ukraine, General Sergej Surovikin, on Friday urged the mercenaries in Wagner to stop opposing the military leadership. – I encourage you to give up. The enemy is only waiting for the internal political situation to worsen in our country, says Sergej Surovikin in a video message posted on Telegram, writes the Reuters news agency. He tells the mercenaries to return to their camps. – Before it is too late, it is necessary and required to obey the will and order of the elected president of Russia, says Surovikin. The Russian military security service (FSB) accuses the leader of the Wagner group of inciting armed conflict between Russians. The FSB wants the Wagner soldiers to prevent Prigozhin from starting an uprising. They are asking the Wagner soldiers to arrest their leader, AFP reports Saturday night. Opening criminal proceedings against Wagner boss On Friday evening, Reuters reports that Russia’s security service is now opening criminal proceedings against Wagner boss Prigozhin, “for incitement to armed mutiny”. Russia’s security service says it is urging Wagner’s soldiers to avoid obeying Prigozhin’s “criminal and treasonous orders” but to initiate measures to apprehend him. President Vladimir Putin is regularly briefed by the security services about developments, reports the AFP news agency. Minister of Defense Sergej Sjojgu rejects the accusations. Photo: AP Russia’s Ministry of Defense rejects the accusations and denies having attacked the Wagner forces. They say it “does not correspond to reality”, and call it an attempt to provoke. – The Russian armed forces continue to carry out combat missions in Ukraine, the ministry adds. Prigozhin’s private army has been fighting on the Russian side in Ukraine since the invasion last February and was, among other things, central to the battles for the city of Bakhmut. It also competes with the defense leadership for credit for progress in Ukraine. At the same time, Prigozhin is an old friend of Putin. Ukraine: – We are following The Ukrainian military says it is following the conflict between Russia’s defense and the leader of Wagner. – We are following, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense tweeted. Ukraine’s intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov says the rival groups have begun to “eat each other for power and money”. The Wagner Group opened a brand new headquarters in St. Petersburg on 4 November last year. It is unclear how it is financed. Photo: Dmitri Lovetsky / AP Says differently Wagner chief Prigozhin said earlier on Friday that Russian forces were retreating in the east and south after Kiev’s counteroffensive began at the beginning of the month. This is the opposite of Putin’s claim that Ukraine is suffering “catastrophic” losses and has a pause in hostilities. – We wash ourselves in blood, says Prigozhin according to AFP. – No one comes with reserves. What they are telling us is a deep deception, he adds, referring to the Russian military and the Russian leadership.
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The Wagner leader claims they have shot down a Russian helicopter – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
