Changes

On the morning of June 23, 2023 Prigozhin and some 5,000 of his forces left the [[Special De-Nazification Operation]] zone of conflict and took control over Rostov-on-Don, a city with a population of over 1 million in the Southern Federal District of Russia, and is the headquarters of the Southern Military District, which has overall command of the special military operation in Ukraine. Many of the troops that exited Ukraine with Prigozhin where not informed where they were going or what for.

On the morning of June 23, 2023 Prigozhin and some 5,000 of his forces left the [[Special De-Nazification Operation]] zone of conflict and took control over Rostov-on-Don, a city with a population of over 1 million in the Southern Federal District of Russia, and is the headquarters of the Southern Military District, which has overall command of the special military operation in Ukraine. Many of the troops that exited Ukraine with Prigozhin where not informed where they were going or what for.

Prigozhin sent Dmitry Utkin to lead the column of forces north toward Moscow on what he called a "March for Justice" against the Russian Ministry of Defense. [[Globalist]] billionaire [[oligarch]] [[Mikhail Khodorkovsky]] living in [[London]], who is wanted in Russia for the contract killing of Nefteyugansk mayor Vladimir Petukhov,<ref>{{cite news|date=23 December 2015|title=Russian court orders arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky over contract killing|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-khodorkovsky-arrest-idUSKBN0U60PO20151223|work=Reuters|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=30 June 2015|title=Russia reopens 1998 murder probe; Putin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a suspect|url=https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-russia-khodorkovsky-murder-suspect-20150630-story.html|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=}}</ref> issued a tweet urging citizens to give the mutineers gasoline and for their opponents not to fight against the mutiny.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-24 |title=Russia live updates: Putin accuses Wagner chief of 'mutiny' and vows mercenaries will face justice |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/russia-wagner-attempted-coup-putin-mutiny-ukraine-pro-rcna90934 |access-date=|website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>  An arrest warrant was issued for Prigozhin for treason.

Prigozhin sent Dmitry Utkin to lead the column of forces north toward Moscow on what he called a "March for Justice" against the Russian Ministry of Defense. [[Globalist]] billionaire [[oligarch]] [[Mikhail Khodorkovsky]] living in [[London]], who is wanted in Russia for the contract killing of Nefteyugansk mayor Vladimir Petukhov,<ref>{{cite news|date=23 December 2015|title=Russian court orders arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky over contract killing|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-khodorkovsky-arrest-idUSKBN0U60PO20151223|work=Reuters|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=30 June 2015|title=Russia reopens 1998 murder probe; Putin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a suspect|url=https://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-russia-khodorkovsky-murder-suspect-20150630-story.html|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=}}</ref> issued a tweet urging citizens to give the mutineers gasoline and for their opponents not to fight against the mutiny.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-24 |title=Russia live updates: Putin accuses Wagner chief of 'mutiny' and vows mercenaries will face justice |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/live-blog/russia-wagner-attempted-coup-putin-mutiny-ukraine-pro-rcna90934 |access-date=|website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref>  The Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation opened an investigation against Prigozhin for "organizing an armed rebellion". An arrest warrant was issued for Prigozhin for treason.

A few videos came from the Russian authorities, including one featuring General Surovikin holding a pistol, apparently pleading with Wagner to “stop the movement of their columns” and return to their posts.

A few videos came from the Russian authorities, including one featuring General Surovikin holding a pistol, apparently pleading with Wagner to “stop the movement of their columns” and return to their posts.  [[President Vladimir Putin]] spoke on television. He recalled the precedent of 1917, when [[Lenin]] withdrew Tsarist Russia from the [[First World War]] when it was close to victory. He called on everyone to assume their responsibilities and serve the fatherland rather than personal adventure.

 

During his speech, Vladimir Putin praised the valour of Wagner’s soldiers, many of whom died for their country. He did not hold them responsible for the situation, but asked them not to follow their leader against the state and therefore against the people.  Concluding his short address to the nation, President Putin declared: "We will save what is dear and [[holy]] to us. We will overcome all tests, we will become even stronger".  The speech was broadcast over and over again on Russian TV, dramatizing the situation.

The [[Ukrainian propaganda war|Ukrainian propaganda machine]] kicked into overdrive, with characters like [[Anton Gerashchenko]] and Igor Sushko absolutely bombarding [[social media]] with [[fake news|fake stories]] about Russian army units mutinying and regional governors “defecting” to Prigozhin - in effect positing that this was not just an uprising by Wagner against the state, but a wholesale revolt of the Russian system against Putin’s government. In fact there were no defections in any regular Russian military units or regional governments, no civil unrest, and no denunciations of Putin. The mutiny was confined to the Wagner Group, and even so not all of Wagner participated. Many who arrived in Rostov with Prigozhin didn't even know what they were there for.

The [[Ukrainian propaganda war|Ukrainian propaganda machine]] kicked into overdrive, with characters like [[Anton Gerashchenko]] and Igor Sushko absolutely bombarding [[social media]] with [[fake news|fake stories]] about Russian army units mutinying and regional governors “defecting” to Prigozhin - in effect positing that this was not just an uprising by Wagner against the state, but a wholesale revolt of the Russian system against Putin’s government. In fact there were no defections in any regular Russian military units or regional governments, no civil unrest, and no denunciations of Putin. The mutiny was confined to the Wagner Group, and even so not all of Wagner participated. Many who arrived in Rostov with Prigozhin didn't even know what they were there for.