Russian President Vladimir Putin faces increased rebellion by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin after the mercenary leader rejected surrender, calling the president “deeply mistaken” for saying his actions betray Russia.
In southwestern Russian regions, officials have cautioned residents to stay in their homes amid reports of Wagner equipment moving through the territories.
Here’s the latest:
In the southwestern Lipetsk region: The region’s governor, Igor Artamonov, has warned residents not to leave their homes “without an urgent need and refrain from any travel by personal or public transport,” as they work to ensure safety in the city. Artamonov also said that equipment is being moved by the Wagner group across the territory. In Kursk, which borders Ukraine, Gov. Roman Starovoyt has plead with Prigozhin to “abandon his plans” to prevent an internal conflict in the country.
Movement in Voronezh:
Following claims of Wagner control over military facilities in the city, Gov. Alexander Gusev has disputed rumors that military equipment is moving through the region, urging people to follow information from official sources, and asking the media to be “responsible” in posting information. Also on Saturday, a burning fuel tank at an oil refinery close to the city was extinguished. While the cause was not confirmed by Gusev, videos on social media have shown an explosion and fireball as a military helicopter flies towards it. Additionally, a munition that landed in the city during what appears to have been a clash between Wagner units and Russian forces damaged a number of cars, according to state media.
Welcomed by Ukraine: Some Ukrainian officials see the rebellion as a “sign of the collapse of the Putin regime.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted on Saturday that Russia previously hid their weakness behind propaganda, but now the Wagner-inflicted chaos means they cannot hide it. “Everyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself,” he said.
Moscow sees support: Russian-backed leaders in four Ukrainian regions Russia claims to have annexed — the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic, the Zaporizhzhia region and Kherson — have expressed their support to Putin. In Russia, head of Russia’s Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, in support of Putin, called for unity, asking Wagner fighters “to think again.” In a call with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Kremlin said the Turkish president pledged his “full support” to Putin.
Global leaders on watch: NATO, the European Union and world leaders including from France, Kazakhstan and Germany, have commented on closely watching the situation unfold. EU spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Nabila Massrali told CNN: “What we are witnessing is an internal Russian issue.” UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said they were keeping an eye on the events, and urged both Putin and Prigozhin to “be responsible and to protect civilians.”
Meanwhile, Putin signed a law that allows the military conscription of citizens with a criminal record.
Missile attack in Ukraine: Ukraine’s air defense forces intercepted 41 Russian cruise missiles and two Shahed attack drones Saturday fired from the north, south and east, according to the Ukrainian Air Force Command, state media Ukrinform reports. In Kyiv, at least three residents were killed and more than a dozen injured in missile debris which fell on a 24-story apartment block in the Solomyanskyi district of the city, the Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram.
Source :CNN
