Russia coup: Wagner leader claims mercenaries took Russian city without firing a shot
Story by Chris Irvine, Joel Gehrke • 51m ago
Rebel Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, once nicknamed Vladimir Putin's chef, claimed on Saturday morning that his troops entered the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, 660 miles south of Moscow, without firing a single shot.
In a new audio statement released Saturday, Prigozhin, who says his troops are not engaged in a coup but rather a "march of justice", declared: "We didn’t touch a single conscript, we didn’t kill a single person on our way.”
He claimed the Russian air force targeted his troops, but they were able to seize the military headquarters in Rostov "without a single gunshot." His claims could not be independently verified.
RUSSIA COUP: VLADIMIR PUTIN SLAMS 'BETRAYAL' BY WAGNER MERCENARIES
Russian servicemen guard an area standing in front of a tank in a street in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, Saturday, June 24, 2023. Vasily Deryugin/AP
Russian servicemen guard an area standing in front of a tank in a street in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, Saturday, June 24, 2023. Vasily Deryugin/AP
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Prigozhin's latest comments come as Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to defend Russia against the rebellion, calling the betrayal a "stab in the back."
In his address, Putin called the uprising by Prigozhin, whom he did not mention by name, a "betrayal" and "treason."
"All those who prepared the rebellion will suffer inevitable punishment," Putin said. "The armed forces and other government agencies have received the necessary orders."
A man takes down the poster with writing reading "Join us at Wagner", which is associated with the owner of the Wagner private military contractor, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is seen above a highway on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, Russia, AP
A man takes down the poster with writing reading "Join us at Wagner", which is associated with the owner of the Wagner private military contractor, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is seen above a highway on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, Russia, AP
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On Friday night Russian military and intelligence officials issued a series of desperate appeals for Wagner Group fighters not to attack.
