Feud with Wagner Group owner Yevgeny Prigozhin: the biggest threat to Putin’s rule
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner Group, has been in a months-long feud with Russia’s defence ministry over the fight in Ukraine. This feud is seen as the biggest threat to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s 22-year rule. Recently, mutinous Russian mercenary fighters from the Wagner Group were making their way to the capital before Prigozhin ordered them to return to base to avoid bloodshed.
The Wagner Group rose to prominence after taking an increasingly visible role in the war in Ukraine, including hoisting the Russian flag in the city of Bakhmut after a months-long battle. Here is a timeline of how the events unfolded since Friday:
June 23: Prigozhin releases a video stepping up his feud with Russia’s military top brass and for the first time, rejects Putin’s core justification for invading Ukraine. In a series of subsequent audio recordings posted on Telegram, Prigozhin says the « evil » of Russia’s military leadership « must be stopped » and his Wagner mercenary force will lead a « march for justice » against the Russian military. Russia’s FSB security service responds by opening a criminal case against Prigozhin, announcing the 62-year-old called for armed mutiny against the state. The deputy commander of Russia’s Ukraine campaign, General Sergey Surovikin, urges Wagner’s forces to give up their opposition to the military leadership and return to their bases.
June 24: Prigozhin says his men crossed the border from Ukraine into Russia and are ready to go « all the way » against the Russian military. Wagner fighters entered the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, Prigozhin said in an audio recording posted on Telegram. The governor of southern Russia’s Rostov region adjoining Ukraine tells residents to remain calm and stay indoors as it becomes clear that Wagner forces have taken control of the city. Prigozhin says his fighters captured the army headquarters in Rostov-on-Don « without firing a single shot » and claims to have the support of locals. Russian’s defence ministry issues a statement appealing to Wagner fighters to abandon Prigozhin, saying they have been « deceived and dragged into a criminal adventure ». Putin makes a televised address promising to crush what he calls an « armed mutiny ». He accuses Prigozhin of « treason » and a « stab in the back ». Russian military helicopters open fire on a convoy of rebel mercenaries already more than halfway to Moscow in a lightning advance after seizing Rostov overnight. Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia’s SVR foreign intelligence service, says it is clear that Prigozhin’s attempt to destabilise society and ignite a fratricidal civil war has failed.
The events of the past few days have shown that the feud with Yevgeny Prigozhin is the biggest threat to Putin’s rule. The Wagner Group’s increasing visibility in the war in Ukraine has put them at odds with Russia’s military leadership, and Prigozhin’s call for armed mutiny against the state has only escalated tensions. Putin’s promise to crush the « armed mutiny » and accusations of « treason » show that he is taking this threat seriously. The situation remains tense, and it is unclear what the next steps will be for both sides.
