"Wagner" PMC units planning to reach Moscow - British intelligence

24.06.2023 13:41

Ukrinform

On the morning of June 24, the enmity between Yevgeny Prigozhin's "Wagner" PMC and the Russian Ministry of Defense escalated into an open military confrontation. The units of the private military company aim to get to Moscow.

That's according to the British Ministry of Defense on Twitter, citing intelligence, Ukrinform reports.

"In Rostov-on-Don, Wagner has almost certainly occupied key security sites, including the HQ which runs Russia’s military operations in Ukraine," the ministry said.

According to the intelligence, other units of the military company are moving north through the Voronezh region with the goal of reaching Moscow.

"With very limited evidence of fighting between Wagner and Russian security forces, some have likely remained passive, acquiescing to Wagner," the UK Ministry of Defense noted.

They believe that in the coming hours, the loyalty of Russian security forces, and especially the Russian National Guard, "will be key to how the crisis plays out."

"This represents the most significant challenge to the Russian state in recent times," the ministry summarized.

As Ukrinform reported, the White House is "monitoring the situation" in Russia after the threats made by the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, against the Russian military leadership.