Vladimir Putin‘s forces have blitzed an oil depot in Russia’s Voronezh region in an attempt to thwart the Wagner mercenary group as it approaches Moscow.
Putin warned: ‘Everything has to be done in order to put this danger to rest. It is an attempt to subvert us from inside. This is treason in the face of those who are fighting on the front.
‘This is a stab in the back of our troops and the people of Russia. We will not let this be repeated. We will defend our motherland including overcoming a number of obstacles.’
Mr Prigozhin denied allegations that he is betraying his country, and called his fighters ‘patriots’.
He said: ‘Regarding the betrayal of the motherland, the president was deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our homeland.’
Mr Prigozhin said his fighters would not turn themselves in at the request of Mr Putin, as ‘we do not want the country to live on in corruption, deceit and bureaucracy’.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Ministry of Defence described the Wagner armed rebellion as ‘the most significant challenge to the Russian state in recent times’.
Wagner forces have been spotted in Lipetsk region – less than four hours to the outskirts of Moscow.
The column of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s coup armed force is heading north for a showdown with troops still-loyal to dictator Vladimir Putin amid rumours he has absconded from the capital.
The Wagner soldiers were some 200 miles from Moscow – facing an evening or nighttime showdown with Russian regular forces.
