After arriving within 200 kilometers of Moscow le Wagner troops, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin have decided to back off. The choice would be motivated by will not shed Russian blood. “Let's go back so as not to shed Russian blood. Now that we would have to pay to continue, out of a sense of responsibility we make our convoys reverse course and return to our bases,” Prigozhin said in an audio.
The decision comes thanks to the Mediation of the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, Which has negotiated directly with the leader of the mercenaries throughout the day. An "acceptable solution has been found, with guarantees of safety for Wagner's fighters," the press service of the Belarusian presidency said.
Wagner had advanced as far south as Moscow
Il convoy of the Wagner group composed of armed vehicles was advanced towards Moscow throughout the day traveling on the M4 highway, which connects Voronezh to the Capital through the Lipetsk region.
According to Kiev, “the forces of the Wagner Group bypassed Voronezh and went towards Moscow, sweeping away everything in their path. The estimated time of approach to Moscow of the Wagner column is of 20-21 hours. It is not known who is at the head of the column and whether the terrorist Prigozhin himself is part of it". Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine writes on Twitter.
About 350 km south of Moscow, in the Russian region of Lipetsk, they had been dug ditches on the highways to stop the convoy of military vehicles. Moscow was unprepared to deal with internal threats and ran out of resources to prevent Prigozhin from reaching the capital.
Wagner: no to change president, we just want the ministry of defence
" civil war has officially begun” one of the channels linked to the Wagner Group had written on Telegram, spreading the images of a Russian helicopter shot down in Voronezh by mercenaries of Prigozhin after the latter attacked them. “One of the convoys of the Wagner group was attacked in the Voronezh region. Even the air force is working”. Prigozhin, had spoken after hearing Putin's address to the nation. The rebel leader in an audio note had stated that the president “was deeply mistaken” when she called him a traitor. “No one will turn himself in at the request of the president. We do not want the country to continue living in corruption and lies. We are patriots, and those who are against us are those who have gathered around the bastards” explained Prigozhin who had spoken out against the Russian president for the first time.
On Saturday afternoon, a message had appeared summarizing Wagner's position stating noon wanting to change the president of Russia, but only" lead the Ministry of Defence. Their request is to lead the Russian Defense Ministry, as they believe it is currently leading Russia to military defeat on the battlefield and intentionally destroyed the Wagner itself.
Putin annoyed by the situation had planned to "eliminate" Evgeny Prigozhin e offer an amnesty to the fighters of the Wagner Group. Harsh words and concern had also come from the vice president of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: "The world will be on the brink of destruction if nuclear weapons end up in the hands of bandits and the crisis will not affect just one state."
Meanwhile, the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov who had offered his help to the president by condemning the mutiny of the Wagner Group is still marching to Rostov to re-establish Russian "state order and unity".
Armored Moscow was preparing for the arrival of the rebels
Moscow was preparing for the eventual arrival of the Wagner Group rebels. Russian soldiers have set up a machine-gun post at the southwestern edge of the capital, and trenches have also been dug on the edge of Moscow. Public buildings, museums and shopping centers evacuated. River traffic suspended on the Moskva River.
The mayor of Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, had invited citizens to limit travel in the city because it is possible the interruption of traffic in some neighborhoods. “The situation is difficult”, wrote the mayor on Telegram. To minimize the risks, the mayor then decided to declare next Monday a non-working day. “I ask you to refrain from traveling around the city as much as possible. It is possible that traffic will be blocked in some neighborhoods and on certain roads.
A Rostov, however, the train stations are overcrowded with people who want to leave the city.
Russia to the West: Do not try to exploit the situation
The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned Western countries from using Russia's internal political situation for its own ends. According to the ministry, such attempts will not be successful and will not be supported either in Russia or by the responsible foreign political forces.
“We are warning Western countries against any hint of a potential use of the Russian domestic situation for the achievement of their Russophobic goals. Such attempts are hopeless and will not be encouraged either in Russia or among sensible political forces abroad,” the ministry said in a statement. Russia will continue its sovereign course to ensure its security, defend its values, strengthen its authority on the global stage, form a just multipolar world order,” he said.
Meanwhile Kiev managed to retake territories in Donbass occupied by the Russians in 2014. “Near Krasnohorivka, following a well-planned counterattack, our assault units took control of several positions that had been held (by the Russians) since 2014. We are talking about the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), near the same city of Donetsk ”, writes Valery Shershen, spokesman of the Ukrainian Armed Forces of the Southern Command (Tavria).
Maximum alert instead in the states on the Russian border. There Latvia has decided to suspend issuing visas humanitarian or other services to Russians seeking refuge due to the crisis in Russia. In addition, the country announced enhanced protection of its borders with Russia, which had been closed since 19 September 2022. “Latvia is closely following the evolution of the situation in Russia and exchanging information with allies. No direct threat to Latvia at this time,” Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics tweeted.
Zelensky with a video message in Russian he says “lKremlin man he is obviously very scared and probably yes hides somewherewithout showing. I'm sure she's not in Moscow anymore. He calls from somewhere, asks for something from there… he knows what he is afraid of, because he himself created this threat ”. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier in the day that the president had not moved from the city."Putin is working normally, there was no escape".
