Wagner Forces Have Entered Russian City of Rostov, Leader Says as Russia Charges Him With Inciting Armed Mutiny

Russia has opened a criminal investigation into Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief and founder of the private military contractor Wagner, on charges of inciting armed mutiny against the Russian military leadership.

If convicted, Prigozhin could face a jail term of up to 20 years. The decision to charge and investigate him comes after Prigozhin promised to punish Russia’s military leadership, alleging that the Russian military killed some 2,000 of his troops in an air strike.

He also appeared to suggest that his 25,000-strong militia was on the way to take down the leadership of the Russian defense ministry in Moscow, and that his troops had entered the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, which is home to the Russian military headquarters for the southern region and also oversees the fighting in Ukraine.

Prigozhin’s troops have been fighting on behalf of Russia in Ukraine. In messages to Telegram, he posted a series of video and audio recordings in which he accused Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of ordering a rocket strike Friday on Wagner’s field camps in Ukraine. The Epoch Times cannot independently verify the claims.

‘Not a Military Coup’

Prigozhin said soldiers of the Wagner mercenary group would punish Shoigu in an armed rebellion and urged the Russian army not to offer resistance. “This is not a military coup, but a march of justice,” he said.

“Those who destroyed our lads, who destroyed the lives of many tens of thousands of Russian soldiers, will be punished.”

Russia’s defense ministry issued a statement denying any role in the rocket attack against Wagner. The ministry also said Prigozhin’s accusations were “not true and are an informational provocation.”

The Federal Security Services (FSB) has opened a criminal investigation against Prigozhin will be investigated on charges of calling for an armed rebellion, reported state-owned Russian news agency TASS, citing the National Anti-Terrorism Committee, which is part of the FSB.

The FSB also called on Wagner’s soldiers to refuse to follow Prigozhin’s “criminal and treacherous orders” and arrest him.

“Prigozhin’s statements and actions effectively constitute calls for an armed civil conflict on Russian territory and a stab in the back of Russian servicemen fighting with pro-Nazi Ukrainian forces,” the FSB said, reported TASS.

Prigozhin, a one-time Putin ally, in recent months, has been openly accusing Shoigu and Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, of gross incompetence.

On Friday, Prigozhin made another strong accusation, saying that Russia’s reasoning for invading Ukraine in February 2022—which Putin has called a “special military operation”—was based on lies from the army’s leadership.

Troops Have Crossed Into Russia: Prigozhin

Prigozhin claimed Saturday around 2 a.m. local time that his forces had crossed the border from Ukraine and were in Rostov-on-Don.

He said they “will destroy anyone” who stands in their way, adding, “we are moving forward and will go until the end.”

Prigozhin also said that so far, his troops have faced no resistance at various checkpoints.

According to TASS, citing a law enforcement source, security was fortified late Friday at Moscow’s critical facilities, and security measures have been increased in the capital, with Russian National Guard special units on full alert.

The news agency also reported that police and military checkpoints have been established in Rostov-on-Don, near the Southern Military District headquarters.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said all Russian security agencies were reporting to Russian President Vladimir Putin “around the clock” regarding the situation around Prigozhin. Peskov added that “necessary measures are being taken,” reported Russian news agency Interfax.

Separately, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence said in a Twitter post: “We are watching.”

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.