‘Wagner’s army agreed to stop action in Russia’
Public Relations Webdesk | Belarus President Lukashenko has spoken to Yevney Prigozhin, Chief of Private Army Wagner in Russia. Prigozhin has accepted Lukashenko’s proposal. Belarus President Lukashenko claimed consensus, saying Prigozhin had accepted the offer and agreed to stop action in Russia. According to reports, Wagner’s army has agreed to stop the rebellion. Wagner’s fighters are returning from Moscow. According to reports, the talks continued throughout the day, as a result of which they agreed to stop operations on the territory of Russia. Yevgeny Prigozhin accepted the proposal of the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, to stop the movement of Wagner Company’s armed men in Russia and take further steps to reduce tensions. For the time being, Wagner is keeping the table open to resolve the situation, with security guarantees for the PMC fighters.
Moscow’s security increased
Earlier, this rebellion of Prigozhin is being described as the biggest threat to Putin’s leadership in more than two decades in power. Military trucks and armored vehicles were seen in several parts of Moscow as Prigozhin’s forces advanced towards the capital. In its southern part, soldiers made posts, deployed machine guns along with sandbags. Authorities have announced the imposition of an “anti-terrorist regime” in Moscow and its surrounding regions, under which many of the rights enjoyed by citizens have been limited and security has been increased.
Prigozhin said, “This is not a military coup, but a campaign for justice.” Prigozhin said he had 25,000 soldiers under his command and urged the Russian army not to resist. Prigozhin posted his video at the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, claiming that his forces had taken control of the airfield and other military bases in the city.
Some videos posted on social media showed military vehicles including tanks on the streets. In one of his many messages on Telegram, Prigozhin said, “We did not kill a single person on our way.” Occupied. His claims could not be independently verified.
Martial law imposed in Moscow
Moscow’s mayor has warned that traffic in parts of the Russian capital could be restricted under tight security because of the “Wagner Group” insurgency. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin asked the city’s residents to refrain from using their vehicles amid anti-terrorist operations in Moscow and the surrounding region. He declared Monday a non-working day for most people except civil servants and employees of some industrial enterprises. Parts of the highway were also dug up to prevent Prigozhin’s army from advancing. Access to Red Square was closed, two major museums were evacuated and a park was closed. Sobyanin said all major city services have been asked to be on full alert and residents have been advised to report any emergencies. Britain’s Defense Ministry has said, citing intelligence, that the private army led by Prigozhin has reached the city of Rostov-on-Don, more than 1,000 kilometers south of Moscow. Russia is operating its military operation in Ukraine from this city.
The fighters of the ‘Wagner Group’ along with their military equipment have also entered the Lipetsk province of Russia, which is situated at a distance of 360 to the south of Moscow. Regional Governor Artamonov said in a telegram that all necessary steps are being taken to protect the residents. The dramatic development comes just 16 months after Russia invaded Ukraine. Thousands were killed, millions were displaced and cities were reduced to rubble in Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II. Ukraine hopes Russia’s internecine fighting will create opportunities for its military to retake territory occupied by Russian forces.
Prigozhin formed the “Wagner Group”, a group of mercenaries. He sent his fighters to join the fight in Libya, Syria, several African countries and Ukraine. After Putin’s address, officials called on Prigozhin to reiterate his loyalty to the “Kremlin” and urged him to back down.
MPs came in support of Putin
Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia’s lower house of parliament, said lawmakers “stand for the solidarity of the security forces” and support Putin. He said that “Wagner fighters will have to make the right choice. We have to be on the side of the law while supporting our people, we have to obey the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, for the safety of the motherland and the future.
