Latest overnight in Russia:
One video from #Rostov shows armed men in uniform surrounding the police HQ, while two tanks aim their guns at the building
Residents of the #Russian city, near the #Ukraine border, have been told to stay calm and remain indoors
It comes after #Wagner boss Yevgeny #Prigozhin called for a rebellion against the army - although he has denied attempting a coup
The #Kremlin has ordered Prigozhin's #arrest, and he is being investigated for inciting #mutiny
A quick analysis on #Prigozhin #Wagner by the bbc's security corr:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-66006142?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=6496749bf2e5745fd8a78551%26The%20genie%20is%20out%20of%20the%20bottle%262023-06-24T05%3A47%3A22.927Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:01194b53-0863-494e-bea3-4db22c6c043e&pinned_post_asset_id=6496749bf2e5745fd8a78551&pinned_post_type=share
Takeawayfor #Kyiv : With the #Kremlin and Wagner now preoccupied with their own struggle, this removes some of the most effective #Russian fighting forces from the battlefield.
#Putin critic and former oligarch #Khodorkovsky says:
"We need to help now, and then, if necessary, we will fight this one, too."
Khodorkovsky said it was important to back "even the devil" if he decided to take on the Kremlin.
"And yes, this is just the beginning," he said.
#Prigozhin #Wagner
Reuters footage of armoured trucks patrolling #Moscow overnight
Anti-terrorist operation introduced in #Moscow:
Mass events cancelled, selective ID checks allowed as well as home searches without warning; surveillance of phone calls and messages; checkpoints can be established anywhere
Many km long cues on the #Rostov - Moscow #motorway towards the #Russian capital acc to footage on telegram channel Moscowmap
#Prigozhin #Wagner #putin
Latest by #Prigozhin 'press service' on the #Wagner situation in #Rostov :
We are at the (police? Army?) hq. 7.30 AM. Military facilities in Rostov, including the airfield under control. Aircraft that leave for combat (in Ukraine) leave regularly. There are no problems.
We took control so that combat aircraft would not strike us, but the Ukrainians.
The main control centre is operating normally, there are no problems'
Then comes the description of the frontline situation in #Ukraine:
#Russia 's defence ministry appeal on Telegram to #Wagner members:
'You were deceived into #Prigozhin 's criminal adventure to participate in an armed #rebellion
▫️ Many of your comrades have realised their mistake by asking for help, assistance from our side has already been provided
▫️ Please be prudent and get in touch with representatives of the #Russian #Ministry of #Defence or law enforcement agencies as soon as possible.
▫️ We guarantee everyone's safety.'
Now that more #Russia regions are introducing 'anti-terrorist' regime, here is what it might entail:
-ID checks - in the absence of a document - taking you to the police station for id-ing
-check on phone conversations and messages transmitted via the Internet
-CTO officers can enter any living quarters, as well as the premises of organizations
-use of vehicles of organizations, and in urgent cases - of citizens
-disconnect comms
#Prigozhin #Wagner
The #BBC 's #Russia editor Steve Rosenberg's take on the #Putin speech
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-europe-66006142?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname=64969b881babaa614a473135%26Putin%20talking%20tough%20-%20but%20is%20he%20in%20control%20of%20the%20situation%3F%262023-06-24T07%3A37%3A32.579Z&ns_fee=0&pinned_post_locator=urn:asset:eef71655-6804-4b29-b295-72d31a6bdcf3&pinned_post_asset_id=64969b881babaa614a473135&pinned_post_type=share
#Prigozhin #Wagner
And here is Putin's speech if you fancy:
http://kremlin.ru/multimedia/video
In a nutshell he was talking Nazis, we are up against the whole of the west, fight for Russia's survival, need for unity, comparison w WWI, brothers killing brothers, foreign forces, internal traitors, rebellion, anarchy, capitulation, blackmail, traitors will be held responsible
#Prigozhin on the telegram channel closest associated with him (Prigozhin's cap) says #Putin is mistaken about #betrayal of the motherland - we don't want #Russia to live in corruption, lies and bureacracy - we are the patriots, he says.
Meanwhile on the telegram channel closest associated with #Wagner they reposted a jolly video about how to survive in a civil war
latest audio message from what sounds like #Prigozhin on a telegram channel associated with him - about support for him and #Wagner :
“We did not touch a single conscript. We didn't kill a single person along the way. We entered #Rostov and captured the headquarters building without firing a shot. We have not interfered with the work of a single person. There are people with PMC flags on the street.”
#Moscow #museums close to the #Kremlin are being evacuated: #Tretyakov gallery, the #Pushkin museum, cultural centre #GES-2, and the shopping centres Mega Belaya Dacha and Kvartal
In cities across #Russia #Wagner billboards are being dismantled
#Prigozhin #putin
Reaction from the #Baltic states:
#Latvia 's Foreign Minister said entry for anyone leaving #Russia "due to current events" would not be considered for entry.
#Estonia too has said it is beefing up security along its border, with Prime Minister Kaja Kallas adding that she was in “close touch” with her Latvian, #Lithuanian and #Finnish counterparts.
#Prigozhin #Wagner #Putin
And in case you are new to the intrigues, relationships and powerplay within the #Kremlin, this is a scene very worthy of your attention - between #Putin and #Naryshkin just hours before the full scale #Ukraine #war has started
https://youtu.be/o9A-u8EoWcI
What I really want to know is if the Russian military really attacked the Wagner Russian-hired mercenaries?
In some ways the events make more sense if they did. #Prigozhin seemingly kind of flew off the handle and it seemed like "his men" were very united behind him in whatever it was.
He says the Russian Army struck them. Being on the front lines, taking the most losses AND that happens just marching back to Russia almost makes sense.
But also I trust nothing #Prigozhin says.
*nodding to your statement*
Even if the bombing was fabricated, they apparently got a truck full of money for families of the war dead, the criminal charges dismissed, the death threats & bounty stopped, and I imagine more food & supplies. Who knows what the truth is, but your reasoning is sound.
cc: @fulelo
If in the coming months there is some mysterious change in the military leadership... I'll take that as a sign that #Prigozhin wasn't lying about getting attacked by the Russian army.
It seems like it could have happened. But, also can't rule out some hoax... or even meddling from "other powers" to sow discord. (which would be an impressive operation and cheer me up about all the money we spend on meddling that's ineffective and also probably evil.)
We know they are all liars. Many of their statements were for the Russian people. The public statements undermine Putin’s public image. So it’s not Putin’s hoax to withdraw them while providing a timeline for a false flag nuclear event. It has some form of real under all those competing deceptions. I don’t know what the truth of it is, but the MoD’s constant political attacks against the actual fighting force never seemed sustainable.
cc: @fulelo
Kriszta Satori
myrmepropagandist
Woodswalked