Russian mercenary leader declares war on own defence ministry, Putin faces major military crisis

Vladimir Putin finds himself in a significant military crisis as Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of a Russian mercenary group known as the Wagner Group, has declared war against the country's own defence ministry. 

Prigozhin accuses Kremlin officials of killing thousands of his soldiers. 

The FSB security agency has initiated legal proceedings against Prigozhin for organising armed insurrection, according to a statement released on Friday night. 

Reports suggest that Putin will soon address the situation.

Prigozhin claims to have withdrawn his troops from Ukraine and relocated them to Rostov-on-Don, a city in southern Russia. 

He has issued a threat, stating that they will destroy everything if anyone obstructs their path. 

The mercenary commander has also warned of advancing towards Moscow unless his demands are met. 

In response, Russian authorities have reportedly blocked the main highway from Moscow to the south.

There is a lack of verifiable evidence regarding Prigozhin's claims about Wagner troops entering Rostov, and he has not presented proof of the alleged troop movements. However, videos circulating on social media in the early hours of Saturday appear to show armed individuals dressed in camouflage entering government buildings in Rostov-on-Don.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner mercenary group’s chief, calls a "march of justice"

The feud between Prigozhin and Russia's defence ministry has been escalating for months and now seems to have reached a critical point. 

Dmitry Peskov, spokesperson for the Kremlin, has stated that Putin is aware of the rapidly unfolding situation and necessary measures are being taken.

Prigozhin had previously accused Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu of concealing significant failures on the battlefield from Putin, alleging that 2,000 Wagner fighters lost their lives due to orders from the Ministry of Defence. 

In a subsequent statement on Telegram, Prigozhin labeled Shoigu and Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the general staff of the Russian Armed Forces, as "criminals" responsible for the deaths of around 100,000 Russian soldiers.

Prigozhin reiterated his threat to destroy anything in their way in an audio recording posted at dawn, emphasising the readiness of his troops to sacrifice their lives.

Moscow has strongly denied Prigozhin's allegations, and several generals have urged Wagner fighters to stand down. 

Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseev, the first deputy chief of the general staff of the armed forces, condemned Prigozhin's actions as a state coup and implored him to reconsider. 

Sergei Surovikin, the Deputy Commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, known as "General Armageddon," pleaded with Wagner not to turn against their own allies and instructed them to hold their positions.

In response to Prigozhin's provocation, Russia's defence ministry issued a statement in the early hours of Saturday, cautioning that Ukrainian forces were exploiting the situation around the town of Bakhmut, a significant battleground previously held by Wagner troops. Moscow's military leadership also warned of Ukraine's Marine Corps' readiness for offensive operations.

Ukraine's defence ministry acknowledged the developments in a tweet, indicating their monitoring of the situation.