Fears of second Wagner coup as troops on highway to Moscow after weapons discovered
A column of troops from the Wagner mercenary group was seen on the highway to Moscow once more at this time – simply 19 days after their leader Prigozhin lead an armed mutiny within the nation towards Vladimir Putin.
Pictures taken at this time (July 13) present navy autos heading north alongside the M4 freeway – the identical route troops took in the course of the abortive coup on June 24.
However, there does not appear to be as a lot trigger for alarm this time, because the quantity plates on the autos are Belarusian, in line with an professional.
According to Russian navy correspondent Alexander Kots, this appears to point the forces’ last vacation spot is prone to be navy encampments in Belarus quite than Moscow.
“There are buses with Belarusian numbers in the convoy, which may indirectly indicate the destination,” he posted.
The Wagner coup final month was known as off after Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko brokered a deal on behalf of Putin.
This deal brough the armed mutiny to a halt, which threatened a massacre in or close to the Russian capital.
During the mutiny, Wagner chief Prigozhin made himself snug within the Russian metropolis of Rostov-on-Don, whereas he despatched his troops north in the direction of Moscow. Reports from the weekend instructed they obtained so far as Lipetsk earlier than turning round – only a six-hour drive from Moscow.
Since the coup, navy camps have been arrange in Belarus prepared for the Wagner troops. Reports instructed that Prigozhin had additionally been ‘exiled’ to the nation following the revolt – however new info makes it extra possible he has remained in St Petersburg because the incident, solely having visited Belarus for hours at a time.
He is believed to have been given political immunity and allowed to stay in Russia by Putin, despite the fact that he was ringleader of the revolt.
On Wednesday (July 12), the Russian defence ministry additionally introduced it had taken possession of an enormous amount of arms and ammunition from Wagner.
These included T-90, T-80, T-72B3 tanks, Grad, Uragan methods, Pantsir anti-aircraft weapons, Gvozdika, Acacia, Hyacinth, Tulip self-propelled weapons, howitzers and anti-tank weapons, mortars, multi-purpose armoured tractors, armoured personnel carriers, autos, in addition to greater than 2,500 tons of varied ammunition. Earlier Prigozhin complained he was disadvantaged of ammunition by the defence ministry.
The June 24 revolt was seen as aimed toward toppling defence minister Sergei Shoigu and his navy chief General Valery Gerasimov. Both stay in submit.
However, a prime US official has instructed that Prigozhin is likely now dead or stuck in a Russian prison cell after the coup.
Retired General Robert Abrams has dismissed a reported Kremlin assembly held 5 days after the 24-hour mutiny by Wagner forces attended by Prigozhin and Putin. Mr Abrams believes the face-to-face was possible “staged” and the Wagner CEO has already been silenced in some kind or one other.