Reports of “tanks on the streets” have emerged in Russian media after the Wagner Group, a private paramilitary unit, allegedly declared war on the Kremlin.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the one-time ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and leader of the Wagner Group, declared war on the Russian Ministry of Defense after the country’s military allegedly carried out attacks against Wagner troops in Ukraine. The group has been participating in military operations along with the Russian military since last February when the Russia-Ukraine war began. Later, Prigozhin claimed that his forces had taken control of military facilities in the city of Rostov-on-Don as part of what many observers have dubbed an armed insurrection.
On Saturday, the state-controlled Russian news outlet RT published a report about “tanks, armored personnel carriers, and other military hardware” being spotted and filmed on the streets of Rostov-on-Don. Though the videos have not been fully verified, the extensive military presence they appear to show lends credence to Prigozhin’s claims about taking control of the city’s military sites.
“One clip released on Saturday morning appears to show two tanks parked in a crossroads while being flanked by several infantrymen,” RT’s report explained. “A military truck and armored combat vehicle are seen in the distance. The video was purportedly filmed near the HQ of Russia’s Southern Military District. Another clip features a column led by a Russian main battle tank and an armored personnel carrier, with several other armored vehicles and pickups loaded with military equipment following behind.”
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Russian military forces have also been sighted mobilizing across Moscow in the wake of Prigozhin’s declaration. In a tweet, Mark Hertling, the retired former Commander General of the United States Army Europe, said that the fortification of Moscow showed how afraid Putin is amid the unfolding situation.
“This isn’t an exercise,” Hertling wrote. “This is real Putin fear.”
Putin initially remained silent on the situation as it began to play out on Friday, prompting speculation that he vanished amid the mounting turmoil. On Saturday, he finally spoke out during a televised address, calling Wagner’s actions a “stab in the back,” though he did not mention Wagner or Prigozhin by name.
“Those who have organized an armed rebellion will be held accountable,” Putin said. “Those who have been drawn into this, I call on you to stop your criminal actions…Personal interests have led to the betrayal of our country and the cause that our armed forces are fighting.”
A White House spokesman confirmed that President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation and that the United States is closely monitoring the situation.
Newsweek reached out to foreign defense experts via email for comment.
