Armoured vehicles are seen on a street of the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia.
Rebellious Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin today claimed that he has taken control of the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don as part of an attempt to oust the military leadership amid what the authorities said was an armed mutiny.
Here are 10 facts about this big story:
- Security in several major Russian cities, including capital Moscow, has been tightened after Wagner group claimed control of the military headquarters of the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.
- Terming it "internal treason", Vladimir Putin vowed the harshest punishment against those rebelling. The Russia President also acknowledged that the situation in Rostov is "difficult".
- Putin said that "excessive ambitions and vested interests have led to treason", and called the mutiny a "stab in the back". "It is a blow to Russia, to our people. And our actions to defend the Fatherland against such a threat will be harsh," Putin added.
- Ukraine said that unrest in Russia spurred by an armed mutiny of the Russian Wagner group presented an opportunity for Kyiv, weeks after announcing a counter-offensive against Russian positions. "What does this mean for us? It is a window of opportunity," said Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar, adding that Russia's military and political leadership: "fight with us and destroy themselves."
- Moscow Mayor announced that they are launching anti-terror measures based on the information they have received.
- Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has for months been mired in a feud with the defence ministry, today accused Moscow of targeting his forces with deadly missile strikes and vowed to retaliate.
- He vowed to take all necessary steps to topple the country's military leadership and said that his forces would "destroy everything" in their way. With a force of almost 25,000 mercenaries, the Wagner group has taken control of the military headquarters in Rostov and are now planning to march to Moscow.
- He urged Russians to join his forces and punish Moscow's military leadership in the most audacious challenge to President Vladimir Putin since the start of the offensive in Ukraine last year.
- Russia's FSB security service opened a criminal case against the Wagner chief and called on the Wagner private military company forces to ignore his orders and arrest him.
- The showdown marked the most dramatic escalation in a long-running feud between the mercenary leader and Russia's defense establishment that's spiraled into what is the biggest challenge to Putin's authority since he sent troops into Ukraine 16 months ago.
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