Prigozhin’s Forces Enter Rostov Unopposed, Sparking Tensions

58

The leader of Wagner, a private military contractor, has issued a direct challenge to the Kremlin, calling for an armed rebellion to remove Russia’s defense minister. Yevgeny Prigozhin’s statements prompted an immediate response from the security services, who initiated a criminal investigation and sought his arrest.

In light of the Kremlin’s grave concerns, security measures were intensified in Moscow and Rostov-on-Don, the city housing the Russian military headquarters for the southern region and overseeing operations in Ukraine.

Claiming that his forces had successfully reached Rostov, Prigozhin stated that they encountered no resistance from young conscripts at checkpoints. He emphasized that his forces were not fighting against inexperienced soldiers but vowed to eliminate anyone obstructing their path. Allegedly, General Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff, ordered air strikes on Wagner’s convoys, which were traveling alongside civilian vehicles.

Prigozhin further asserted that Wagner’s camps in Ukraine were targeted by rockets, helicopter gunships, and artillery fire under orders from Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. In response, he called for an armed rebellion to hold Shoigu accountable, urging the army not to resist.

The National Anti-Terrorism Committee, part of the Federal Security Services (FSB), initiated an investigation into Prigozhin for inciting armed rebellion. The FSB implored contract soldiers from Wagner to apprehend Prigozhin and refuse to comply with his “criminal and treacherous orders.” The committee denounced his statements as a betrayal of Russian troops, accusing him of instigating armed conflict within the country.

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has been briefed on the situation, and necessary measures are being taken, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Wagner’s forces have played a pivotal role in Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, particularly in capturing the city of Bakhmut, known for its protracted and bloody battles. Prigozhin has frequently criticized Russia’s military leadership, accusing them of incompetence and neglecting his troops’ need for weapons and ammunition. However, his recent allegations and calls for armed rebellion represent a significant escalation.

The Russian Defense Ministry mandated that all military contractors sign contracts with them before July 1st, a requirement Prigozhin, engaged in a long-standing feud with the Defense Ministry, refused to comply with. In a late-night statement, he expressed readiness to reach a compromise but claimed that they had deceived him.

According to Prigozhin, Shoigu personally oversaw the strike on Wagner’s camps at the Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don before fleeing cowardly. He declared his determination to halt Shoigu, referring to him as “scum.”

Prigozhin’s provocative actions were denounced by Colonel General Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, who appealed to Wagner’s forces to refrain from antagonizing the army. Surovikin warned that such actions would only serve the interests of Russia’s enemies, who eagerly await the exacerbation of internal political tensions.

Lt. General Vladimir Alexeyev, another high-ranking military officer, condemned Prigozhin’s actions as madness and threatened that it could plunge Russia into a civil war. He regarded it as a severe blow to the country’s image and armed forces, asserting that only Russia’s adversaries would orchestrate such a provocation.

In response to Prigozhin’s provocation, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that Ukrainian forces were amassing troops in preparation for an attack on Bakhmut, capitalizing on the situation. The ministry claimed that Russian artillery and warplanes were engaging Ukrainian forces in the area as they readied themselves for an offensive.

In separate developments in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised concerns that Russia might be planning an attack on a nuclear power plant under occupation, which could result in a radiation disaster. Zelenskyy called on other nations to pay attention to these warnings and exert pressure on Moscow accordingly.

The Kremlin’s spokesperson denied that Russian forces posed a threat to the power plant. However, the potential for a catastrophic release of radiation has been a cause for alarm since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and subsequent capture of the plant, Europe’s largest nuclear power station. Efforts to establish a safety perimeter have been unsuccessful despite the United Nations’ atomic energy agency’s lengthy negotiations.

The International Atomic Energy Agency acknowledged the increasing tension in the region due to the ongoing Ukrainian counteroffensive. Zaporizhzhia province, home to the nuclear power plant, and neighboring areas in Donetsk province have witnessed military escalation.

Both Russia and Ukraine have blamed each other for escalating threats to the power plant during months of conflict. Recently, Ukrainian officials accused Russia of mining the plant’s cooling system, which was already at risk due to a dam collapse. Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom urged the United Nations agency to take specific measures to prevent Ukrainian attacks on the plant and surrounding territories.

Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar stated that Russia had bolstered its defense forces in southern Ukraine in response to the Ukrainian counteroffensive. Maliar suggested that the initial attacks were only a prelude to a more substantial assault, as Ukrainian forces aimed to force Russian troops out of the occupied territories and sever Russia’s land bridge to Crimea.

The situation remains fluid, with potential ramifications for the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about tensions

More about tensions

• Russia’s Private Military Contractors: The Wagner Group
• Ukraine-Russia conflict: Key facts, BBC News
• Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Energoatom
• The Ukraine Conflict: Frequently Asked Questions, Council on Foreign Relations
• Russia-Ukraine conflict: A timeline of the conflict, Al Jazeera
• IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi visits Ukraine