There have been too many different topics on this Wagner marches to Rsotov-on-don situation. I'd like to centralize discussion here. Lets post updates all in this thread.
Context: Wagner is a Private Military Company (aka PMC) that has been helping out the Russian military, especially in the push to capture Bakhmut. Despite fighting on the Russian/Kremlin side thus far, tensions have escalated over the past months. This week, Wagner was ordered to integrate properly into the military and this was apparently the last straw. By integrating into the military proper, it would effectively remove Yevgeny Prigozhin from his position of power over Wagner.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of Wagner, started the day with a very public statement (https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/wagner-chief-declares-war-on-putin-after-russia-launches-missile-strike-on-his-troops/ar-AA1cX3TG), accusing the Russian military of shooting a missile at his troops. Prizgozhin has singled out Shoigu (the Russian Minister of Defense) in these public talks, and began to march his ~20,000+ Wagner troops into Russia.
https://lemmy.world/post/500076
During this march, allegedly 2 Helicopters have been shot down (https://lemmy.world/post/497656). And within this past hour, Wagner troops seem to have surrounded key buildings in Rostov-on-don, the Headquarters of the Southern Russian Military.
https://lemmy.world/post/502058
That should get us all caught up on the current events until right now. Now instead of us posting in 15 different topics, lets try to centralize the news into this topic and get a better set of discussions going.
EDIT: I will be changing this post, and the title, as events occur. To help keep everyone up-to-date on the latest developments.
Update: https://lemmy.world/comment/494242
This post shows that the Wagner group has moved as far north as Voronezh. This is suggesting that Wagner really is making a move towards Moscow.
That's basically the point of a coup. Ideally you don't want bloodshed. And by showing more-and-more soldiers taking your side, you strengthen your march.
Wagner's troops are allegedly halfway to driving to Moscow. Seems like all the soldiers manning the checkpoints are waving them through. The time to stop Wagner's troops was at the border. Imagine if you're some poorly-trained national guardsman watching 20,000 troops with tanks and advanced weaponry come to your checkpoint.
And they say "Look, we haven't had to kill anyone at any of the checkpoints in the last 500 miles yet, but we wouldn't mind if you were the first we had to kill. So are you going to step aside punk?"
By the time they get to Moscow, they'll have at least the tacit support of all the troops they walked passed on the way. This whole thing can be over in just a few hours. It was said that the 1917 Communist revolution over Tsar Nicholas went off with surprisingly lilttle bloodshed.
Of course, just because today is peaceful says nothing about days, or weeks from now. Soon after the (relatively peaceful) 1917 takeover, began the 1918 Russian Civil War.
Indeed. My understanding is that Prigozhin is well-respected by the common military men but has no support from the oligarchs. If he seizes power I can't imagine he'll hold it. I'm just guessing of course, but I think Prigozhin's goal must be to eliminate his military rivals and remain "loyal" to Putin, leaving Putin to continue handling the oligarchs while Prigozhin becomes the indispensable military commander.
Good points. Let's hope this will be a positive development for Ukraine.
Or
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_on_Rome