Due to the advance of the Wagner group towards the Russian capital, there is a massive evacuation of public buildings in Moscow. The mayor invites citizens to stay indoors. Russian President Putin addressed the nation: “They stabbed us in the back, but we will defend our people and our state. The events of 1917 will not be repeated.” Zelenskyi says: “Putin is no longer in Moscow: he is hiding”
Putin: “We were stabbed in the back”
WAGNER’S REVOLT – LIVE
19.00 – Ukraine has launched an offensive in several directions on the Eastern Front: this was announced by the Minister of Defense of Kiev.
6.50 p.m – “I will say in Russian: the man from the Kremlin is obviously very scared and is probably hiding somewhere without showing himself. I’m sure he’s not in Moscow anymore. He calls somewhere, asks something from there… He knows what he’s afraid of because he himself created this threat,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an evening address to the nation.
17.45 – The train stations in Rostov-on-Don are overcrowded with people who want to leave the city. This was reported by some Russian media, including Kommersant, which, citing one of its correspondents, speaks of a suburban train station where there are long queues. The media also released a video showing hundreds of people waiting near the tracks. According to the regional government, the bus station is functioning normally. “Ticket sales for destinations where traffic is temporarily closed have been suspended,” the press service said.
17.40 – Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin urged citizens to limit travel in the city, as some districts could experience traffic delays. This was reported by Interfax. “The situation is difficult,” writes the mayor on Telegram. Monday in Moscow will be a day off. Sobyanin announced.
5:00 p.m. – Moscow, Western countries must not take advantage of the situation – Russia’s Foreign Ministry has warned Western countries not to use Russia’s domestic political situation to “achieve their Russophobic goals”. It can be read in a press release. “We are convinced,” the note continues, “that the situation will find a solution in the near future.” “All the goals and objectives of the military special operation” in Ukraine “will be achieved”, despite “the attempted armed insurgency” in Russia.
16.36 – Due to the advance of the Wagner group towards the Russian capital, there is a massive evacuation of public buildings in Moscow. BBC Russia reports on this and also publishes videos of people rushing out of buildings and museums near the Kremlin
15.57 – I Wagner militia officers have arrived in the Lipetsk region south of Moscow. This was announced by Governor Igor Artamonov on his Telegram channel.
15.49 – Kiev, Donbass positions occupied by Russians since 2014 – Ukrainian troops liberated Russian-held positions in Donbass in 2014: writes Valery Shershen, spokesman for the Ukrainian forces of the Southern Command (Tavria), quoted by the Telegram channel of Rbc-Ukraine. “Near Krasnohorivka, after a well-planned counterattack, our assault units took control of several positions held (by the Russians) since 2014. We are talking about the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) near the city of Donetsk itself,” Shershen writes.
15.36 – Russia’s telecommunications control agency has blocked the Wagner Group’s social networks to prevent the spread of calls for participation in the mercenary uprising led by Yevgeny Prigozhin. The tax office reports it.
15.15 – The US is working on the situation in Russia “in close coordination with its allies”. This is reported by the US Department of State. US support for Ukraine “will not change”. Matthew Miller, spokesman for the US State Department, said in a note on the chaos in Russia.
14.33 – Peskov, “Putin at work in the Kremlin, no escape” – Russian President Vladimir Putin is “working normally in the Kremlin” after the Wagner group vowed to overthrow the country’s top military leaders. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, as reported by Tass. Earlier, several social networks published the screenshot taken by air surveillance site Flight Radar showing a Russian government plane flying from Moscow to St. Petersburg and claiming that Putin was on board.
❗️ Putin’s plane took off from Moscow and disappeared from radar#PutinSpecial aircraft Il96-300PU (Point of Control) took off from #Moscow In the direction of St. Petersburg at 14:16 Moscow time, as shown by flight radar data. The destination of the flight was not specified and it disappeared from the… pic.twitter.com/7m6NBryjvA
– NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 24, 2023
14.19 – Prigozhin, headquarters in Rostov, captured without shooting – The leader of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has assured that he took the headquarters of the Russian army in Rostov without firing and claimed that he had the support of the population. “Why does the country support us? Because we are marching for justice,” the militia leader said in an audio message on Telegram. “We entered Rostov and, without firing a single shot, took the headquarters building,” he added.
ANSA. it
Trucks and Armored Vehicles on City Streets (ANSA)
1.35 p.m. – According to Kiev, “Moscow is practically armored and preparing for a siege, with military and police checkpoints at almost every intersection.” Several Ukrainian media reported an explosion and shots at the Russian Rostov military command
13.07 – The Moscow Transport Authority announced that the Moskva was temporarily closed to shipping. This was reported by Tass, citing a statement from the department. “According to the federal organization of the Moscow Canal, the Moskva River has been temporarily closed to traffic. The operation of the piers has also been restricted.”
04/13 – A video released by Gray Zone, a Telegram channel close to the Wagner Group, shows Yevgeny Prigozhin and his mercenaries at the Russian Armed Forces Headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, holding talks with Russian Colonel-General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, Deputy Defense Minister, and with Lieutenant-General Vladimir Alekseev , deputy chief of the GRU, the Russian military intelligence service.
ANSA agency
A video released by Gray Zone, a Telegram channel close to the Wagner Group, shows Yevgeny Prigozhin in Rostov-on-Don holding talks with Colonel-General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister (ANSA).
12.42 – On telegram the Russian nationalist Igor Girkinnicknamed “Strelkov the Rifleman” writes that “the insurgents have passed Voronezh and are advancing to the Lipetsk region. They boast of shooting down ‘Rosgwardiya’ (Russian National Guard) forward outposts and capturing trophies.” ” .
12:38 p.m – According to Kiev, “the forces of the Wagner group bypassed Voronezh and advanced towards Moscow, sweeping away everything that stood in their way. The estimated time it takes for the Wagner column to approach Moscow is 20-21 hours. It is not known who is the head of the column and whether the terrorist Prigozhin himself is part of it.” Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Interior Minister of Ukraine, writes on Twitter.
12.16 – A large oil depot is on fire in Voronezh.
ANSA agency
A large oil depot is on fire in Voronezh. According to the governor of the region Alexander Gusev, quoted by Tass (ANSA)
11.58 – One of the channels associated with the group Wagner writes in the Telegram that “the civil war has officially begun”. And he published images of a Russian helicopter allegedly shot down in Voronezh by Prigozhin’s mercenaries after they attacked them. “One of the convoys of the Wagner group was attacked in the Voronezh region. Aviation works too. The civil war has officially begun,” they write on Telegram.
08.20 – The leader of the Wagner mercenaries charges the leaders of the Russian defensesAt the head, Minister Shoigu is said to have ordered an attack on his men and a march on Rostov and Moscow. “It’s not a coup, it’s a march of justice,” “and we will pull it through,” he assures, ignoring calls to stop. At 6:30 a.m., he announces that he is at Rostov headquarters, controlling a number of locations, including an airport. The Russian prosecutor’s office opened a case of “armed rebellion”, military vehicles are on the road in Moscow and Rostov and security measures are being tightened. Putin is “constantly informed”. Also Biden and consultation with allies. During the night, a Russian attack took place in various cities in Ukraine: a skyscraper was hit in Kiev, killing at least two and injuring eight. The leader of the paramilitary group Wagner He said he arrived early this morning at Russian army headquarters in Rostov, a key hub for Russia’s attack on Ukraine, and took control of military sites, including an airport. “We’re at headquarters, it’s 07:30” (6:30 in Italy), he said in a video broadcast on Telegram, “Rostov’s military bases are under control, including the airport,” he adds while walking behind standing by him see men in uniform walking.
Prigozhin announces control of military bases in Rostov
The Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don is an important logistical base for the offensive in Ukraine. “We took control of the airport so that the attack planes wouldn’t hit us, but the Ukrainians,” Prigozhin said. He therefore asked the Russians not to believe the statements made by state television. “When you’re told that Wagner interfered with the work and that’s why something fell apart at the front… Things didn’t fall apart at the front because of that,” he continued. “A huge amount of territory has been lost. The number of soldiers killed is three to four times higher than indicated in the documents presented to the summits,” he added. Prigozhin said Russian chief of staff Valery Gerasimov “ran away from here when he saw us approaching the building.” Rostov authorities urged residents to stay at home.
ANSA. it
“A 24-Story Skyscraper Hit” (ANSA)
The anger of the Russian President in an address to the nation
“People who are now fighting on the front lines have gotten this dagger in the back,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an address to the nation. “The actions that have divided our unity are in reality a denial of our people, our brothers in arms who are now fighting on the front lines. This is a stab in the back for our country and our people.”
Putin has promised that the Russian people and state will be protected from any betrayal: “Now the fate of our people is being decided,” he added. And he stressed that “all those who have chosen the path of treason will be punished and held accountable. The armed forces have received the necessary orders,” he said, addressing those involved in the rebellion and urging them to stop their actions. “This blow was inflicted on the Russian people in 1917 as well when he fought in World War I when victory was practically taken from him. The civil war, Russians kill Russians, brothers kill brothers. The various political adventurers took advantage of this situation. “We will not allow such a situation to repeat itself,” Putin said, promising that “firm measures will be taken to stabilize the situation in Rostov-on-Don.” The situation remains difficult.”
The Russian President then spoke Belarusian ally Alexander Lukashenkoto update him on the situation and received the support of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who has assured that he is ready to work with Moscow to put an end to the uprising. What Yevgny Prigozhin committed was “a cowardly betrayal,” a “mutiny” that must be “put down,” Kadyrov said. He then announced that Chechen troops were heading to areas of tension. Support for Putin also came from Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill, who launched a call for unity in the face of a common threat.
ANSA agency
“Now everything depends on the loyalty of the armed forces to the Kremlin.” The US is closely monitoring the situation in Russia. Biden received a briefing and consulted with “allies and partners around the world.” Foreign Minister Tajani calls on compatriots to exercise caution (ANSA)
Moscow’s “critical facilities” have been placed under increased protection and security measures in the capital have been stepped up, Tass reports, citing a law enforcement source. “Security measures in Moscow have been strengthened; all critical facilities, government seats and transport infrastructure have been placed under enhanced protection,” the source said. According to the source, the special forces of the Russian National Guard have been put on alert. The mayor of the Russian capital has announced that “anti-terror” measures will be taken after the head of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, officially declared war on the country’s military leaders. “In connection with the information reaching Moscow, counter-terrorism measures are being taken to strengthen security,” Sergei Sobyanin said on social media.