Armed Rebellion in Russia: Will Putin Be Removed from Power?

On the night of June 23 to 24, the Wagner Group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, took control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don.

Yevgeny Prigozhin stated that the reason for the armed rebellion of the Wagner Group against the Russian army is the “betrayal” of the Ministry of Defense of Russia. Earlier, Prigozhin claimed that the Ministry of Defense of Russia had struck the military positions of the Wagner Group.

Prigozhin stated that the Wagner Group decided to “stop the evil that the military leadership of the country brings” and announced a “march of justice” on Moscow.

The Russian leadership called this march an “armed rebellion,” an “attempted coup,” and illegal. Immediately on June 23, the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia opened a criminal case against Prigozhin for organizing an “armed rebellion.” On June 24, the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation reported that the initiation of a criminal case against Prigozhin is legal and justified.

Some experts believe that the Wagner Group, which previously forcibly recruited labor migrants into the army and sent them to war, is not alone in its armed rebellion; it is supported by a large number of high-ranking officials among the Russian military who are dissatisfied with Putin’s government, and they will soon announce their support for Prigozhin.

Labor migrants from various cities and regions of Russia sent photographs and videos and reported to Azda TV that there are many soldiers and military equipment on the roads. Increased security measures are observed in all regions of Russia.

The President of Russia, who had remained silent and unresponsive to Prigozhin’s repeated statements directed at Shoigu, addressed the Russian people on the morning of June 24, calling the actions of the Wagner Group an “armed rebellion,” “betrayal and a stab in the back,” emphasizing that they “will answer before the law.”

Putin stated that the time when the fate of the Russian people is being decided “requires the unity of all forces, unity, consolidation, and responsibility.”

Western experts believe that the reason for Prigozhin’s rebellion lies in a lack of managerial discipline and the prevalence of corruption within the ranks of the Russian army. They believe that the rebellion could end in a coup.

Recently, the spokesperson for the North Atlantic Alliance reported that NATO is “monitoring the situation” in Russia.

At the same time, the Embassy of Tajikistan in Russia urged Tajik citizens to refrain from non-essential trips to the border regions of Russia and Ukraine, as the situation in Russia is unstable.

“We urge Tajik citizens not only to refrain from unnecessary trips but also to avoid visiting places of mass gatherings and participating in mass events, especially when using personal transport,” the embassy stated on Facebook.