This article reveals why Putin has ordered for arrest of Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin.
Late Friday, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced the initiation of a criminal case against Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner mercenary group.
The charges levied against him include “incitement to armed rebellion” after he openly declared a conflict with Russia’s military leadership.
Prigozhin called on Russians to join the ranks of 25,000 Wagner fighters in opposition to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and other top commanders.
Prigozhin, who gained notoriety for his involvement in Russia’s annexation of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, accused the Russian military of targeting a Wagner camp.
(AP)
He also issued a veiled threat against Shoigu, stating, “This scum will be stopped!”
While one senior general labeled Prigozhin’s actions as an attempted “state coup,” no concrete evidence has emerged to support such claims.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov conveyed that President Vladimir Putin had been briefed on the situation and that “all necessary measures” were being taken.
In response to the escalating tensions, security was heightened at government facilities and key infrastructure in Moscow.
The Russian National Guard and security forces were put on high alert, as reported by the state-owned news agency Tass.
The events unfolding on Friday underscore the detrimental impact of Putin’s war in Ukraine over the past 16 months.
Russia’s economy has been severely affected by Western sanctions, and there has been significant resistance from citizens during conscription drives.
These challenges have coincided with a stagnation in the military campaign in Ukraine and the realization that Putin’s claim of annexing Ukrainian territory falls far short of reality.
The FSB’s announcement of a criminal case against Prigozhin suggests that his arrest may be imminent due to his inflammatory remarks targeting the Ministry of Defense.
Although Prigozhin denied attempting a military coup, his statements represent an extraordinary and hostile challenge to Russian military authorities, hinting at a potential outbreak of open warfare.
Prigozhin and Shoigu, along with other regular military commanders, have been embroiled in a protracted feud, primarily centered around allegations that Wagner fighters were denied adequate ammunition.
However, Prigozhin’s recent comments have escalated tensions to the brink of armed confrontation.
In a series of impassioned audio messages, Prigozhin accused Shoigu of personally orchestrating a missile strike on a Wagner camp before fleeing the area.
The Russian Defense Ministry swiftly refuted Prigozhin’s claims, labeling them an “informational provocation.” They maintained that Russian forces were carrying out combat missions along the Ukrainian front.
To defuse the crisis, senior Russian general Sergei Surovikin, deputy commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, called on Prigozhin to halt his threatened actions.
Surovikin urged Prigozhin not to play into the hands of the enemy, emphasizing the need to obey the will and order of the popularly elected president.
Throughout the unfolding events, Prigozhin released various videos and audio messages, claiming casualties among Wagner fighters and accusing Shoigu of concealing the bodies of dead Russian soldiers.
However, there was a lack of verifiable evidence to support these assertions.
Prigozhin, also known as “Putin’s chef,” earned his fortune through government catering contracts and has been involved in various controversial endeavors, including ownership of the Internet Research Agency, which operated “troll farms” and allegedly meddled in U.S. elections.
His loyalty to Putin and the usefulness of the Wagner forces in conflicts such as Syria, Libya, and Africa have granted him a prominent position.
Despite his loyalty, Prigozhin has recently fallen out of favor with Putin due to his refusal to sign military contracts that would place Wagner and other “volunteer” fighting formations under the control of the Defense Ministry.
Prigozhin created his own contract as a means of resistance.
In a surprising turn, Prigozhin challenged Putin’s justification for invading Ukraine, claiming that Russia faced no extraordinary security threat from its neighbor.
He asserted that Russian officials and oligarchs were motivated by greed rather than the protection of Russian citizens or the demilitarization of Ukraine.
Reports emerged suggesting that Prigozhin was in Moscow on Friday evening, but his current whereabouts remain unknown.
Political analyst Tatiana Stanovaya remarked that these events marked the end of Prigozhin as a significant player in Russia’s power dynamics and signaled the impending demise of the Wagner group.
She anticipated that the state’s involvement meant there was no turning back, with the only remaining possibility being the complete eradication of Wagner, the extent of which depended on the group’s resistance.
As tensions continue to escalate, the situation remains volatile, and the actions and consequences of the ongoing conflict between Prigozhin and the Russian military leadership are yet to unfold fully.
