the army takes Moscow before a possible coup

From February 24, 2022 to June 24, 2023. The first date marks the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The second date, one year and four months after the “special military operation” ordered by Vladimir Putin, is that of this same Saturday, and marks the possible coup d’état that the Russian leader is facing.

this past dawn the Kremlin has accused to the head of the mercenaries of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhinof organize an armed riot after alleging, without providing evidence, that Russian military leaders had killed large numbers of their fighters in an airstrike and vowing revenge. In this sense, since early in the morning, Wagner’s chief claims to have the Russian General Staff in the city of Rostov under control.

As pointed out from Moscow, Putin receives updates 24 hours a day from all relevant state security agencies on the measures being taken to thwart the coup attemptas indicated by the Russian news agency TASS.

[El Grupo Wagner dice que sus tropas han sido atacadas por el Ejército ruso y promete venganza]

Prigozhin released a video late on Friday on his Telegram channel in which he accused the Russian army of having attacked his fighters. And then he began broadcasting audio messages in the early hours of Saturday in which he assured that Wagner’s troops had crossed the border from Ukraine into Russia and that they were prepared to go “all the way” against the Moscow army. All this came hours after the Kremlin accused him of rebellion.

The head of the Wagner Group has been attacking the leaders of the Russian army for several months, but this morning the confrontation with the high military commands has reached a critical point. That’s why, the Federal Security Service of Russia (FSB)which is under the immediate authority of Putin, has opened a criminal investigation against Prigozhin. And he has also asked Wagner’s mercenaries to ignore his leader’s orders and arrest him.

[Un valenciano en la guerra de Ucrania: “Sólo puedes morir o volver. Caer preso de Rusia no es una opción”]

As reported citing the General Prosecutor’s Office of the Russian Federation, will be accused of military mutiny and could face penalties ranging from 12 to 20 years in prison.

In another Telegram audio, Prigozhin claimed that his troops had reached the Russian city of Rostov, in the south of the country. And he claimed that he and his men would destroy anyone who got in their way.

Previously, the head of the Wagner Group had asserted, without evidence, on the same social network; that Russian military leaders had killed a large number of their troops in an air raid. And he promised to punish them. This alleged attack is what has triggered the crossover of accusations between both parties and the increased level of alert by the Kremlin both in Rostov and in Moscow.

Russian troops on alert

In response to the threat, both the Russian National Guard and Interior Ministry units have been placed on alert. Images are spreading on social media showing that in Rostov the National Guard is deploying armored vehicles and armored amphibians through the streets.

In addition, sources close to the Russian army have indicated that the ‘Fortress Plan’ in Moscow, which entails activating the security forces and bodies to defend the city from any external threat. Videos of the deployment of military and police checkpoints in the center of the Russian capital have already been shared through social networks. Among the places that have been placed under protection is the Ministry of Defence, as reported by the .

Prigozhin maintains that he does not intend to carry out a military coup but, after a frantic series of audio messages in which the sound of his voice sometimes varied and could not be independently verified, he appeared to suggest that his 25,000 men were on their way to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow to overthrow Sergey Shoigu.

[Destruir antes que avanzar: la estrategia de Ucrania para asestar “el golpe maestro”]

“We are 25,000 and we are going to find out why there is this anarchy in the country. Everyone who wants to join us. We need to end this mess.”he stated on his official Telegram channel.

Putin and Biden, informed

That has prompted the Kremlin to increase security at government buildings, transport facilities and other key locations in Moscow. Putin himself is aware of the situation at all times and the same is true in the US, where the president Joe Biden he is closely following all movements from the White House.

Meanwhile, from kyiv they point out that the biggest momentum of their counteroffensive against Moscow has not yet been launched. “The main blow is yet to come“said the deputy defense minister, Hanna Maliar, via Ukrainian television. A senior Ukrainian general has referred to the “tangible successes” in the advances that have occurred in the south, one of the two main centers of operations along with eastern Ukraine.

The deputy commander of Russia’s ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine, General Sergei Surovikin, called on Wagner’s fighters on Friday not to oppose the army and to return to their bases. “I urge you to stop. The enemy is only waiting for the internal political situation to worsen in our country,” he declared in a video also broadcast on Telegram.

“We must not play into the enemy’s game at this difficult time for the country. You must do it before it is too late: obey the will and orders of the president elected by the people of the Russian Federation. Halt your columns and return to your permanent positions and to your places of concentration”, he has ordered them.

For his part, the deputy head of Russia’s military intelligence agency, Vladimir Alexeyevhas assured that Prigozhin’s action “is a stab in the back to the country and the president” and “it is a coup d’état.”

The Kremlin’s lies

In his video on Friday, the Wagner leader strongly criticized both the Kremlin and the reasons that led Russia to invade Ukraine. According to him, everything is based on lies and behind these lies are his usual archenemies: the high command of the Army.

If Prigozhin’s constant interventions on social networks showed that he had no minor role in the war in Ukraine, the latter have made it clear what his level of power and influence is in the military. From those same platforms he has been openly accusing the minister for months Sergey Shoiguand the most important general of Russia, Valery Gerasimovof being incompetent.

[Wagner asegura que la contraofensiva ucraniana hace retroceder a Rusia en Jersón y Zaporiyia]

“Nothing out of the ordinary happened on February 24… the Ministry of Defense is trying to deceive society and the president and tell us a story about how there was an irrational aggression by Ukraine and that they planned to attack us together with all the power of NATO”, Prigozhin said in the video on Friday that has triggered this whole series of chaotic movements. And he was referring ironically to the official version of the ‘special military operation’ as “a beautiful story”.