Illustrative image.
Fighters from the Wagner Group, which is now waging an armed mutiny, attempted to shoot down a Russian attack helicopter over the city of Voronezh while advancing towards the Russian capital, Moscow, on June 24.
The fighters fired a missile from a Strela-10 short-range air defense system at the helicopter, a Ka-52. However, the helicopter fired flares and was able to dodge the missile, which apparently went on to hit a fuel depot and started a massive fire.
Earlier reports said that Wagner fighters were able to shoot down at least one helicopter, a Mi-8, of the Russian military over Voronezh.
Wagner boss Wagner Evgeny Prigozhin started an armed mutiny late on June 23. Prigozhin accused the Russian defense minister and the head of the General staff of various crimes and announced the beginning of “the elimination of evil in the face of the military leadership of the country.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an address to the nation that the attempted rebellion by Wagner amounts to a betrayal of Russia and its people. Putin emphasized that the country’s law enforcement agencies will take decisive actions to restore order.
Prigozhin ignored the president’s warning as well as several calls by the Russian military and security services for his group to end the mutiny and surrender.
Russian media reports indicate that financial motives were behind the mutiny. A vehicle full of boxes of money was reportedly found by Russian security forces outside Prigozhin’s office in the area of Trezzini Hotel in the city of Saint Petersburg, according to the news outlet Fontanka. Around 4 billion rubles in 5,000 banknotes were reportedly confiscated from the boxes.
Saint Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov said that the situation in the city, which is a home to the Wagner Center Headquarters, remains stable, with increased security measures put in place.
Beglov also noted that “lawful actions of law enforcement agents, including those in the Wagner Center building, have no impact on the ongoing activities in the city,” apparently referring to earlier reports that operatives were conducting searches there.
Wagner’s armed mutiny comes as the Russian military is dealing with Ukraine’s large-scale counteroffensive in the special operation zone. The mutiny plays right into the hands of the regime in Kiev.
MORE ON THIS TOPIC:
