Wagner mercenary group moved towards Moscow
Moscow:
Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin on Saturday warned the situation in the capital was “difficult,” as forces of the Wagner mercenary group moved towards Moscow to oust Russia’s military leadership.
“The situation is difficult. I ask you to refrain from travelling around the city as much as possible,” Sobyanin said in a statement, warning of possible road closures and announcing Monday was a “non-working” day.
The Moscow Mayor’s alert comes after rebel groups were “moving across” the Lipetsk region, which is around 400 km south of Moscow.
“Hardware of the Wagner mercenary group is moving across the territory of the Lipetsk region,” Governor Igor Artamonov said on Telegram. “I remind you that residents are strongly recommended not to leave their houses or to make trips on any mode of transport.”
The Wagner Group, a mercenary outfit, is en route to Moscow to overthrow the Russian military leadership following their chief’s challenge to Putin.
The armed rebellion by the outfit, amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, is seen as the biggest threat to Putin’s authority. The Wagner group’s role has been crucial in the ongoing war, it was even credited for the capture of the key city of Bakhmut after a bloody 224-day-long battle.