Putin's Mercenary Fighters Turn Against Him | What is the Wagner Group?

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner mercenary group in Russia, has vowed to "go all the way" to topple Russia's military leadership.  This comes hours after the Kremlin accused him of “armed rebellion”, while Prigozhin accused them of launching strikes on his men. 

In an audio message, Prigozhin (62) said, “We are going onwards and we will go to the end. We will destroy everything that stands in our way." He accused the military of launching a deadly missile strike on his troops and vowed to punish them. 

He said that his fighters had crossed the border from Ukraine into Russia, entering the city of Rostov-on-Don. 

"Those who killed our lads, and tens of thousands of lives of Russian soldiers [in the war in Ukraine] will be punished," he said in the message. 

"I ask you not to resist. Anyone who does will be considered a threat and destroyed. That goes for any checkpoints and aviation on our way.” 

"Presidential power, the government, the police and Russian guard will work as usual.” 

"This is not a military coup, but a march of justice. Our actions do not interfere with the troops in any way." 

Meanwhile, Russian authorities have tightened security in several regions and urged citizens to remain calm and stay indoors. 

“Law enforcement agencies are doing everything necessary to ensure the safety of residents. I ask everyone to stay calm," Rostov governor Vasily Golubev said on social media. 

President Vladimir Putin is reportedly receiving round-the-clock update on the situation. 

The tensions between the two sides had been brewing over how the war has been fought and Prigozhin being vocal against Russia’s military leadership in recent months. 

The Wagner Group is a private army of mercenaries that has been fighting alongside the Russian army since the start of the Ukraine war. And with them going rogue, an audacious challenge awaits President Putin.

What is the Wagner group? 

• The Wagner Group (officially called PMC Wagner), is run by an ally of President Putin with tens of thousands of fighters.

• The group formed by Dmitry Utkin, a former Russian officer, and financier Yevgeny Prigozhin, 61, who has been previously known as "Putin’s chef" for catering state events, came into existence in 2014 and was involved in the Ukrainian-Russian conflict in 2014, when Russia illegally annexed the Crimea.

• Initially it was a secretive organisation, have had only about 5,000 fighters. Since 2015, the Wagner Group has been active in Syria, Libya, Africa and the Middle East.

• The Wagner Group was heavily involved in Russia's capture of the city of Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian troops say its fighters were sent into attacks in large numbers over open ground, with many killed as a result.

• According to the UK Defence Ministry, the group now commands over 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and has become a key component of the Ukraine campaign. The organisation even started recruiting in large numbers in 2022 because Russia had trouble finding people for the regular army.

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