Vladimir Putin Accuses Wagner Mercenary Group Boss of Inciting 'Mutiny'
June 23 2023, Published 7:45 p.m. ET
Vladimir Putin and Russian military leaders have accused Wagner Mercenary Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin of inciting a "mutiny" on the Ukrainian frontlines, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Prigozhin was being investigated by the Kremlin after he accused Russia's Ministry of Defense of not only killing his troops but "deceiving" Putin into invading Ukraine. The mercenary boss called on soldiers to "march for justice" and fight back against the "evil" leaders.
While Prigozhin has led the de-facto Russian army through months of battle in Ukraine, he has grown increasingly outspoken against military leadership.
On Friday, tensions between the Wagner boss and the Kremlin boiled over as Prigozhin accused Russia of being responsible for a targeted strike on their camp that resulted in "huge numbers" of fatalities.
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Prigozhin delivered the accusation with a vow to avenge the dead.
"Those who killed our lads, and tens of thousands of lives of Russian soldiers [in the war in Ukraine] will be punished," the Wagner boss said in his video. "I ask you not to resist. Anyone who does will be considered a threat and destroyed. That goes for any checkpoints and aviation on our way."
"This is not a military coup, but a march of justice," Prigozhin vowed. "Our actions do not interfere with the troops in any way."
According to Russian state media, the Kremlin immediately responded to Prigozhin's threats with a criminal investigation into his warning. The Kremlin accused Prigozhin of "calling for an armed rebellion," directing Wagner soldiers not only to disobey their boss but to take measures to apprehend him on behalf of the Russian government.
Russia's Defense Ministry also denied all claims made by the mercenary group leader, saying, "all reports by Prigozhin spread on social media" were "not true and are an information provocation."
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A spokesperson for Putin said that the Kremlin leader was aware of Prigozhin's accusations. The Kremlin ominously warned that "necessary measures are being taken" against the Wagner boss.
In a bizarre move, the Ministry of Defense appeared to subtweet Prigozhin on Friday afternoon when the account simply posted, "We are watching."
