Military HQ surrounded by tanks in Rostov
The headquarters of the Southern Military District in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don is surrounded by tanks and men in uniform, while it is not known for certain who exactly surrounded the headquarters – servicemen of the Russian army or mercenaries of the Wagner Private Military Group (PMC).
Source: Russian publication Meduza; Telegram channel Astra
Details: According to Meduza, an open photo bank of the Russian state-owned news agency TASS indicated that the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don has been encircled by the militants of Wagner PMC.
At the same time, the newspaper notes, the founder of Conflict Intelligence Team Ruslan Leviev suggests that the armed men in the centre of Rostov are servicemen of the Russian Ministry of Defence.
"They are not ‘surrounding their own troops’ but take up positions around the building to defend it. At the same time, the enemy may already be nearby, so it is necessary to control the situation around roofs of houses and windows," he said.
On the night of 23-24 June, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Head of the Wagner Private Military Group (PMC) stated that his army crossed the state border of the Russian Federation "everywhere" and entered the city of Rostov-on-Don.
Background:
- Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed that the regular Russian army had launched a missile strike on the Wagnerites’ rear camps. Prigozhin added that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had fled Rostov like a coward and "that creature will be stopped". Russia’s Ministry of Defence called this statement a provocation.
- Prigozhin’s 25,000 mercenaries are allegedly on their way "to restore justice." At the same time, he asks not to call it a "military coup."
- Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has been informed of the conflict between Yevgeny Prigozhin and Sergei Shoigu, the Russian Defence Minister. A criminal case is being initiated against Prigozhin for incitement to armed rebellion.
- Photos of armoured vehicles on the streets of the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don are being posted on Russian social media following the statement made by Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, about a de facto declaration of war against the Russian army. Checkpoints are being set up at entrances to Moscow.
- Prigozhin has criticised Shoigu and the General Staff for the failure of hostilities, stating that Ukraine did not plan to attack Donbas in 2022, and said that the Russian officials wanted the war, and the oligarchs wanted to make money.
- Prigozhin claimed that his mercenaries allegedly shot down a helicopter of the Russian army.
- Russian security officials have been regularly reporting to Russian President Vladimir Putin about the measures taken to counter the "armed rebellion" started by Prigozhin. There are now issues with accessing the news in Russia.
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