Leader of Wagner Group, private military contractors fighting for Russia in Ukraine, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced on June 23rd that he was upset with Russia’s military generals stating in multiple audio recordings that Russia’s military leadership needs to stop, and that Wagner will march to Moscow to get justice.
This comes after Prigozhin stated that Russian generals had left Wagner without supplies and ammunition throughout the duration of the war and called out the Russian government by calling top Russian brass corrupted. Prigozhin also stated that the Russian defense ministry had ordered an airstrike on Wagner camps. The defense ministry denied these allegations and it is not clear if Russian generals ordered this attack. However, these tensions between Wagner and Russian general led to Wagner revolting.
Wagner took control of Rostov-on-Don and were on their way to Moscow. At the same time Russia’s intelligence agency, the FSB had opened a criminal case against Prigozhin for mutiny and treason. Putin had promised to crush this rebellion as well. Russian military helicopters opened fire on a convoy of rebels that were halfway to Moscow. Moscow was also under full lockdown and the government urged all citizens to stay inside. The Kremlin feared an uprising and a brewing civil war.
The White House along with other European leaders met immediately to issue statements and monitor the situation closely. G7 leaders maintained their support for Ukraine. Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan called Putin and urged him to be cautious and rational with his decisions.
However, the revolt did not last long as Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko brokered a deal with Prigozhin. The exact contents of the deal are unknown. Prigozhin ordered his troops advancing to Moscow to turn back and ordered troops occupying Rostov to return to their camps. All charges against Prigozhin were dropped and has amnesty in Belarus, ending the surprise revolt from Wagner.
Multiple instances have been shown where Russian troops are growing increasingly unmotivated to fight in Ukraine and with Wagner starting a revolt, this could cause more issues for the Kremlin to deal with. Cracks in the Russian military are starting to show and although Wagner’s revolt may have ended quick, it can serve as a reminder to the Russian people to not be afraid to organize and rebel as men are continuously being drafted to fight a war they do not want to fight.
It is difficult to assume that this will be the start of a inner revolt in Russia, but it serves a clear message to Putin and his Russian generals that this war will continue to diminish the picture of the Russian military as divisions within his own circle will make it difficult for Putin to advance in Ukraine.
Author: Aleksandros Spaho
