Wagner’s chief Prigozhin accused the Russian army of bombing his mercenary force. He called for a „march for justice”. Moscow denied that the secret service appeared to have opened criminal proceedings for armed rebellion.

The commander of the Russian Wagner mercenary force, Yevgeny Prigozhin, accused the Russian military leadership of bombing his forces. He said in an audio message he published in his press service this evening that a „very large” number of Wagner mercenaries were killed in the attacks.

The mercenary commander accused Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of ordering attacks on the camps of Wagner’s forces. „We were ready to make concessions to the Ministry of Defense, to give up our weapons,” Prigozhin said. But they „carried out missile attacks on our rear camps.”

Wagner’s boss said the „evilness” of the military leadership must be stopped and vowed to respond to the attacks. „We are 25,000,” he said of the fighting strength of his forces, and called on „everyone who wants to join us” to „put an end to the chaos.” It is not a coup, but a „march for justice”.

Russian intelligence opens criminal proceedings

The banishment from Moscow came immediately. The Defense Ministry said in a statement that Prigozhin’s accusations had nothing to do with reality and were a provocation.

It seems that the Russian secret services opened criminal proceedings against Prigozhin for calling for an „armed rebellion”. The National Anti-Terrorism Committee, according to Russian news agencies, said that „in connection with these statements, the Russian Federal Security Service opened a criminal case.” „We demand that illegal activities stop immediately,” she said. According to Interfax, President Vladimir Putin is aware of all events affecting Prigozhin. According to the Kremlin, the necessary measures are being taken, Interfax reports.

With these remarks, Prigozhin may have gone too far, Prigozhin said ARD reporter Inna Jerk In Moscow On daily topics. „This is a clear coup threat – not against the president, but against the defense secretary,” Roque said. It is unclear whether the data is correct. „All of this could be imaginary, and it could be true.”

Prigozhin wonders about the reasons for the war

All day Prigozhin yelled wildly against the military leadership in Moscow – and questioned the official reasons for the war. Contrary to Russian propaganda claims, Prigozhin said in a video that Russia was not threatened at all by Ukraine before the war began in February 2022. The alleged „crazy aggression” on the part of Kiev and NATO never happened.

„The defense ministry is trying to deceive the president and the public,” said Prigozhin, who has been locked in an internal power struggle with Shoigu for months. The military special operation began for completely different reasons. ” Then Chief Wagner added: “The war was necessary for Shoigu to obtain the title of Marshal. (…) And not to disarm and discredit Ukraine.” In addition, Russian and pro-Russian oligarchs hoped to benefit from the war, Prigozhin said.

Russia justifies its war of aggression over and over again with the propaganda claim that it is ridding the neighboring country of alleged „neo-Nazis”. Another pretext for war is the unsupported claim that Kiev intended to use NATO to attack Moscow.

Success stories is „complete bullshit”

In addition, Prigozhin, whose fighters recently participated in the capture of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, has made serious allegations against the Russian military in connection with the ongoing Ukrainian counter-offensive. Success’ daily reports of alleged Ukrainian attacks allegedly repelled is „total nonsense”.

According to Prigozhin, the counterattack of the Ukrainian army forced the Moscow forces to retreat in some areas. Prigozhin said the Russian army was retreating on the Zaporizhia and Kherson fronts—and publicly contradicted Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has repeatedly spoken of the failure of the Ukrainian counteroffensive.

„What they tell us is a bitter deception.”

„The Ukrainian armed forces are pushing the Russian army to retreat,” Prigozhin said in online networks. „On the battlefield (…) the Russian army is retreating on the Zaporizhia and Kherson fronts.” With drastic words, the 62-year-old raised harsh allegations against the Russian military leadership: „We wash ourselves in blood. Nobody brings reinforcements. What they tell us is a bitter deception.”

Defense Minister Shoigu wants to control the forces of Prigozhin Wagner. To that end, he recently required all volunteer organizations to sign contracts with the Department of Defense by the end of the month. But Prigozhin refuses. According to the head of the mercenary group, most military units are not as efficient as Wagner.