Residents of Rostov-on-Don, where, according to Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the mercenary Wagner Group, the Wagnerians seized the headquarters of the Southern Military District without a fight, say that the situation in the city is calm, but at the same time very unclear, the independent Russian portal Meduza reported on Saturday.
Kirill, quoted by Meduza, said that the residents do not have reliable information about what is happening. His friends – as he said – received instructions from their superiors in the morning to stay at home, and so they do.
Kirill confessed that if the authorities decide to use aviation or long-range weapons against the Wagnerians, “it will be terrible”. “How do you know that if a man goes to a neighborhood, there won’t be an uncontrolled shooting?” he asked rhetorically.
Sergei told Meduza that he wasn’t really afraid because in the last few years people just got tired of being afraid. – I have a foreign passport, I have savings and if necessary I sit on suitcases – he announced. He admitted that he is very ambivalent about Prigozhin, because on the one hand it seems that he “pushes the truth (straight into the eyes)”, but on the other “his hands are up to the elbows in blood” because he participated in the fights in Ukraine.
The Wagnerians took Rostov-on-DonPAP/EPA/ARKADY BUDNITSKY
According to him, it cannot be ruled out that the current situation was arranged by the authorities to justify the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. It is also possible that it will only end with a change of some people in positions.
– If he himself (i.e. Prigozhin – ed.) comes to power, it will be a military dictatorship, which is even worse than further slow tightening of the screw by Putin – he assessed.
“For the second year I don’t believe in anything and I don’t expect anything”
Nikolai said he was calling all his friends in town to find out what was going on with them. These conversations show that the military equipment of the Wagner Group is indeed in the center, but it is quiet.
Ivan also said that it was very quiet, although he could see policemen and people in military uniforms from the window. According to him, it is not known what is going on, but “this is simply a ‘discussion’ of power structures.” “I think they’ll come to a compromise quickly and part ways.” No one needs tension in the region. (…) What can be done? We sit and wait, he said.
– I refer (to the current situation – ed.) as to everything that happens: suspiciously and full of ambiguities. It seems to me that they can distract us from much worse stuff going on somewhere else. Hard to say. For the second year I do not believe in anything and do not expect anything, ”said Anastasia.
The Wagnerian revolt is underway
On Friday, the head of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced that troops of the regular Russian army had attacked the Wagner camp, resulting in numerous deaths. He announced that he intended to “restore justice” in the armed forces and called for no opposition to him.
Governor of the Lipetsk region in Central Russia Igor Artamonov announced on Saturday afternoon that columns of equipment of mercenaries from the Wagner Group are moving through this region. Earlier in the day, a Reuters source told Reuters that soldiers of the Wagner Group had taken control of military facilities in Voronezh and that a convoy of military vehicles of the aforementioned group led by Yevgeny Prigozhin headed towards Moscow.
Read more: The Wagnerians took over military facilities in Voronezh. The fuel depot soon caught fire
Vladimir Putin called the soldiers of the mercenary Wagner Group traitors and assured that the rebels would be held accountable to the law and the nation, and that Russia would be defended. Prigozhin declared Saturday after the speech Vladimir Putinthat his fighters will not give up in the fight against the regular Russian army.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/ARKADY BUDNITSKY