“We crossed the state border everywhere. Border guards came out and hugged our fighters. Now we are entering Rostov,” he said in an audio released on his Telegram channel.
Prigozhin also assured that he is determined to “go to the end” and “destroy everything that comes his way.”
“We will continue, and we will go to the end,” said the owner of the paramilitary group, which claimed to have 25,000 fighters.
Earlier, the Russian news agency Tass announced that security measures would be taken in Moscow after Prigozhin’s call to revolt against the defense ministry.
“Security measures in Moscow have been strengthened, key places are under increased security,” in addition to “state agencies and transport infrastructure,” the head of Russia’s security forces told Tass.
The Russian defense ministry also said Ukrainian troops were preparing for an attack near the city of Bakhmut (eastern Ukraine) and “benefited” from the chaos caused by Prigozhin’s call for rebellion.
“Using Prigozhin’s provocation to destabilize the situation, the Kiev regime is regrouping the units of the 35th and 36th Rifle Brigades for offensive action” in the Bakhmut zone, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement, assuring that the Ukrainian forces are attacked by Russian aviation and artillery.
Earlier, the FBS had announced an investigation into the leader of the paramilitary group Wagner after Yevgeny Prigozhin called for an uprising against the Russian military leadership, which he accused of attacking his fighters.
“The allegations made public on behalf of Yevgeny Prigozhin are baseless. (…) The FSB [serviços de segurança russos] has opened an investigation into an armed mutiny,” Russia’s National Counterterrorism Committee said in a statement, quoted by Russian news agencies.
The Russian Presidency (Kremlin) in turn announced that the Russian head of state, Vladimir Putin, will be informed about the conflict between the Russian army and the Wagner group.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the Tass bureau, also assured that necessary measures are being taken.
Paramilitary group leader Wagner today called for an uprising against Russia’s military high command, stressed it has 25,000 troops and urged Russians to join them in a “march for justice”.
“There are 25,000 of us and we are going to determine why there is chaos in the country (…) Our strategic reserves are the whole army and the whole country,” Yevgeny Prigozhin emphasized in an audio message, asking “anyone who wants to join” urges to “end the confusion”.
However, Prigozhin defended himself against any “military coup” and claimed to be leading a “march for justice”.
“This is not a military coup, but a march for justice, our actions do not hinder the armed forces,” he assured in an audio message.
Prigozhin had previously accused the Russian military of carrying out attacks on his mercenary camps, resulting in “a very large number of casualties”, allegations denied by the Russian defense ministry.
Prigozhin’s message was accompanied by a video of about a minute, which showed a devastated forest, some fires and at least the body of a soldier.
The Russian army immediately denied carrying out any attacks on camps belonging to the Wagner group.
“The messages and videos that Prigozhin posted on social media about alleged ‘attacks by the Russian Defense Ministry on the rear bases of the Wagner paramilitary group’ do not correspond to reality and are a provocation,” the Russian government said in a statement. declaration.
In another response, Wagner’s leader stated that the group’s leaders decided it was necessary to stop those who have “military responsibility for the country”.
“Those who oppose this will be considered a threat and immediately destroyed,” Prigojine added, vowing to “respond” to the alleged attacks.
These strong accusations from Prigozhin expose the deep tensions within Moscow’s troops over the offensive in Ukraine.
The leader of the Wagner group had previously said that the Russian army is retreating to various sectors of southern and eastern Ukraine, Kherson and Zaporijia, respectively, and to Bakhmut, contradicting Moscow’s claims that the counter-offensive in Kiev was a failure.
Source: DN
