Moscow is preparing for a full-blown civil war as Russian President Vladimir Putin orders troops to batten down the hatches and build outposts, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Military vehicles flood the streets ahead of the expected arrival of Russia’s Wagner mercenary forces.
After Russian bombers allegedly targeted his militia forces, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin launched a military coup against Putin overnight.
Pro-Putin forces have also raided the Wagner unit’s headquarters in St Petersburg after Prigozhin captured the Southern Defense Command in Rostov-on-Don, which played a major role in the invasion of Ukraine. The Russian Security Service said it had found $47 million in cash during the raid, which Prigozhin claimed was for salaries and other expenses for his men.
On Friday, June 23, drone footage showed a Russian troop being nearly wiped out by a bomb.
Putin has labeled Prigozhin’s actions as “treason” and a “mortal blow” to the country and its troops. He has also issued a warning that anyone who takes up arms against the military will be “punished.”
The 25,000-strong Wagner militia took control of the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, saying they are “ready to die” for their “march of justice” and have been heading north in a hundreds-strong convoy of armored vehicles.
Prigozhin, who was once a confidant of Putin before declaring war on Moscow’s military leadership last night, said in a video that the highest-ranking officer at the command post had fled as soon as he learned that Wagner forces were approaching.
Footage surfaced on social media of large convoys of troops heading north from Voronezh, believed to be Wagner mercenaries. According to the Daily Mail, they are also said to be on their way to other key cities, including Krasnodar and Volgograd.
Russia has responded by increasing security in Moscow, mobilizing troops who are set to defend against the incursion, and calling for the military to rally around the President.