The Russian army has ramped up security in Moscow and Rostov-on-Don as it responds to threats of a coup.
Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is reportedly leading an armed mutiny and has broken into the Rostov-on-Don military headquarters.
Mr Prigozhin has been seen in videos vowing to defeat the “evil” leaders of the military who had "destroyed... tens of thousands of lives of Russian soldiers".
In a televised address, President Putin's called it a "criminal campaign" and said he will defend “his motherland”.
“It is an attempt to subvert us from the inside,” he said.
Per reports, a Wagner assault team approached the entrance of the Russian Southern Military District Headquarters in Rostov pic.twitter.com/Sr3LvXb91M
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 24, 2023
“This is treason in the face of those who are fighting on the front. This is a stab in the back to the people of Russia.
“We are fighting against anarchy... these people who are responsible will certainly be brought to justice.”
Reports suggest that the armed group aim to blockade Rostov-on-Don before moving to Moscow, unless defence chiefs Sergei Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov come to meet them.
Mr Prigozhin has called for a coup against Russia’s military leaders, saying he has 25,000 fighters ready to “end this mess”.
Wagner head Prigozhin has popped up in Rostov, with both Colonel General Yunus-Bek, Deputy Minister of Defense, and Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseyev, deputy chief of Russian military intelligence. pic.twitter.com/jLJvuSCyNJ
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 24, 2023
Members of the group are largely communicating via social media platform Telegram, where several are calling for the removal of President Putin.
Videos show the group have made it to the Southern Military District Headquarters in Rostov-on-Don.
The footage comes only hours after the mercenary group, previously fighting under President Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine war, said it was prepared to die in its challenge of Russia’s military leadership.
