Russia is facing a grave crisis as mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has led a group of fighters out of Ukraine and into southern Russia, sparking a mutiny that has reached the heart of Moscow. Prigozhin, the founder of Russian private army Wagner, has been making his way towards the capital, fueled by allegations of incompetence and withholding of ammunition by the regular army’s top brass. However, in a surprising turn of events, Prigozhin has ordered his men to turn back, citing a desire to avoid “shedding Russian blood.”
The crisis has sent shockwaves through Russia, with President Vladimir Putin describing the actions of Prigozhin and his men as a “stab in the back.” Despite this, a deal has been brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to see Prigozhin’s men demobilized and withdrawn from Russia, with guarantees of safety for both Prigozhin and his men. The deal has also seen the criminal case against Prigozhin for armed mutiny dropped.
The crisis began on Friday when Prigozhin defied orders to sign a contract placing his troops under Defence Ministry command, and launched the mutiny. Since then, Prigozhin’s men have taken control of the city of Rostov-on-Don, and were making their way towards Moscow. However, after being ordered to turn back, they began pulling out of the city on Saturday evening.
Yevgeny Prigozhin (Via Yevgeny Prigozhin/Twitter)
The situation has led to increased security measures in Moscow, with police and troops deployed on the streets. The government has also updated its travel advice for Irish citizens, warning against all travel to Russia. The loyalty of Russia’s security forces and the fate of Putin’s leadership hang in the balance, as the crisis is likely to continue to unfold in the coming days.
Prigozhin’s actions have been met with skepticism by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who has seen the crisis as a sign of Russia’s weakness. Zelenskiy warned that the longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on Ukrainian soil, the more chaos, pain and problems it will have for itself. As the situation continues to develop, the world looks on with bated breath, bracing for the consequences of Russia’s most serious challenge to its leadership in over two decades.
