Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin issued a warning on Saturday about the plight facing the capital as forces from the Wagner mercenary group advance into the city with the intention of overthrowing Russia’s military leadership. This act of rebellion poses the most serious challenges to date for the government of President Vladimir Putin.
In an official statement, Sobyanin stated: «The situation is difficult. I ask you to refrain from traveling around the city as much as possible.” warning of potential road closures. In addition, he announced that next Monday would be declared a “non-working” day in the city.
The international response to these events has been remarkable. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that the Wagner mutiny reveals Russia’s “large-scale weakness”. For her part, the Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister, Ganna Malyar, considered that the rebellion provides an “opportunity” for kyiv on the battlefield.
Other world leaders have also expressed their position on this situation. US President Joe Biden announced that he “will consult with allies and partners on these developments.” European Union chief Charles Michel tweeted that the bloc is “closely monitoring the situation in Russia as it develops” and reaffirmed his “unwavering” support for Ukraine, while also noting that it is an internal Russian matter.
Gitanas Nauseda, the president of Lithuania and a NATO member, warned Russia’s neighboring countries to prepare for the most unexpected scenarios. Meanwhile, Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova commented: “Russia is waging war on Russia. It’s no surprise. It is a tradition there. Failed wars end with the execution of the tsar, chaos, and a civil war overseen by snoopers. Congratulations”.
The office of the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, declared from Rome that these events “They show how the aggression against Ukraine is causing instability inside Russia as well.”
In an intelligence update, the UK MoD claimed that “This represents the most important challenge for the Russian state in recent times.” In addition, he pointed out that the loyalty of the Russian security forces, especially the Russian National Guard, will be crucial for the development of the crisis.
“In the coming hours, the loyalty of Russia’s security forces, and especially the Russian National Guard, will be key to how the crisis unfolds,” the Defense Ministry said in a tweet.
The US-based Institute for the Study of War has indicated that while the armed rebellion has “little chance of success”, a possible attack by Wagner on the Russian military leadership in Rostov-on-Don would have significant repercussions for the war conflict in Ukraine.