In the latest chapter of the conflict between the Russian mercenaries of Wagner and the Russian army, the leader of the mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin, accused the Russian army via his Telegram channel of having "destroyed" his fighters and pledged to stop the "evil" of the military leadership. However, at the same time, he stated that he was "not carrying out a military coup against the Russian army," indicating that his forces had reached 25,000 fighters and calling on Russians to join him.
Prigozhin accused Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of coming specifically to Rostov to destroy his forces, claiming he "cowardly fled Rostov to avoid explaining why our guys were bombed from helicopters," which resulted in numerous casualties among his forces, vowing "revenge." Meanwhile, Russian forces denied the accusation, and the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that all messages and videos circulating on social media attributed to Yevgeny Prigozhin "do not reflect reality and are media provocations." The Ministry of Defense also confirmed that Russian forces continue to undertake combat missions along the contact line with the Ukrainian army in the area of the special operation.
Deputy Commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, General Sergey Surovikin, addressed Wagner forces, stating that they must obey the will and orders of the Russian president, and called on them to cease their rebellion and return to their bases. In a video on Telegram, he said, "The enemy is only waiting for a deterioration in the internal political situation in our country."
The Kremlin, in its first response to Prigozhin's accusations, indicated that President Vladimir Putin is aware of the developments concerning Wagner forces and that all necessary measures are being taken. The Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee announced today that the Federal Security Service opened a criminal case against Yevgeny Prigozhin, accusing him of inciting armed rebellion.
Earlier today, for the first time, Prigozhin rejected the fundamental justifications presented by Russia for the invasion of Ukraine on February 24 of last year, which it described as a "special military operation," stating: "The war was necessary... so that Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu could attain the rank of Marshall... and obtain a second 'Hero' medal... The war was not necessary to disarm Ukraine or free it from Nazis."
Prigozhin also stated that Russian forces are retreating in eastern and southern Ukraine following the counteroffensive launched by Kyiv. These statements contradict recent assertions by President Vladimir Putin that Ukraine is suffering "catastrophic" losses. Yevgeny Prigozhin, known as "Putin's Chef," stated on social media, "On the ground, the Russian army is currently retreating on the fronts of Zaporozhye and Kherson, the Ukrainian forces are pushing the Russian army back."
