Wagner Group Russia Coup Updates: Putin, Lukashenko hold another call after thwarted mutiny

The Russian ministry of defence has issued an appeal to Wagner Group mercenaries in a Telegram message. It said that the fighters of the mercenary group have been ‘deceived into (Wanger Group chief) Prigozhin’s criminal adventure and participation in an armed rebellion'.

Russia's anti-terrorist committee said on Saturday that it was imposing a counter-terrorist regime in Moscow and the surrounding region amid an apparent mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group, the state news agency RIA reported.

Amid the occupation of Russia's southern military district by Wagner Group, President Vladimir Putin is set to address the nation soon, according to the state media.

Thick black smoke was visible near a main highway close to Russia's southern military district Rostov-on-Don. It was later found that the smoke was coming out of a downed Russian military helicopter. 

In between infighting among Russian powers, Ukraine is set to host a meeting today with several nations to discuss a path towards peace amid Russia's offensive.

In the wake of Wagner Group's armed rebellion against the military leadership in Moscow, the heaquarters of the mercenary group is being raided by Russian police in St. Petersberg. Check out the footage.

After over a year of continued long battle between Russia and Ukraine, the world is keeping a close eye on the Wagner Group after its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, has vowed to ‘go all the way’ to topple the military leadership in Moscow over its handling of the war and accused his allies of shelling his troops. Read more

Right after ‘occupying’ the Russia's southern military district in Rostov-on-Don, tanks brought along with Wagner mercenaries were pointing their guns at the miliary headquarters. However, fresh images how the tanks are no longer pointing at the headquarters.

In the video message, Wagner Group chief stated that he wishes that defense minister Sergei Shoigu and chief of general staff Valery Gerasimov will meet with him at the Headqaurters in Rostov-on-Don to discuss the ongoing War in Ukraine.

In a video message from military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, Wagner Group's chief Prigozhin announced his forces ‘occupied’ all of the Military installations across the city including the Airfield to ensure that the Russian Air Force is attacking the Ukrainians and not his forces.

The Special Purposes Mobile Unit of the Russian National Guard (OMON) and the Federal Security Service (FSB) are reportedly carrying out a raid at Wagner Group's headquarters in St. Petersburg. This comes after the mercenary group took ‘control’ of the ‘all military sites’ in Rostov-on-Don – city from where Ukraine war is being overseen.

Prigozhin announced that if Chief of the General Staff Gerasimov and Defence Minister Shoigu do not come to him, Wagner PMC will go to Moscow. In the meantime, Wagner will blockade Rostov.

Wagner mercenary group's chief Prigozhin said all military sites in Russia's southern military district under its control.

Wagner PMC claims Russia's Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov fled the Rostov MoD headquarters and is trying to hide in his friend's apartment in the city.

Visuals coming in from Russia where Wagner Group's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin could be seen sitting with General Sergey Kuzovlevcommander of southern military distict Rostov, the city which has been captured by the mercenary group.

Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin appeared to suggest he had sent an armed convoy on a 1,200-km (750-mile) charge towards Moscow on Saturday in an unlikely attempt to topple the military leadership.

Russian local officials said a military convoy was on the main motorway linking the southern part of European Russia, bordering Ukraine, with Moscow, and warned residents to avoid it.

Hours earlier, the Russian authorities had accused Prigozhin of staging an armed mutiny after he alleged, without providing evidence, that the military leadership had killed a huge number of his fighters in an air strike, and vowed to punish them.

Wagner PMC tank marked "Siberia" celebrates the taking of the Southern Military District headquarters in Rostov.

Russian military helicopters have reportedly destroyed at least two Wagner PMC vehicles in Voronezh region in Russia.

The chief of mercenary group Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin said early Saturday that his forces had shot down a Russian military helicopter.

"A helicopter has just now opened fire at a civilian column. It has been shot down by units of PMC Wagner," Prigozhin said in a new audio message.

Prigozhin earlier said his units, which have for months spearheaded an assault in eastern Ukraine, had entered the southern Russian region of Rostov.

Prigozhin accused Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov of ordering strikes against his units even though they were moving among civilian vehicles.

After chief of Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin declared an armed rebellion against the military leadership in Moscow, he now claims that nearly half of Russian army is ready to join him.

Rostov-on-Don is home to Russian military headquarters for the southern region. The entire Ukraine fighting is being overseen from this region.

The mayor of Moscow said on Saturday that "anti-terror" measures were being taken in the Russian capital after the chief of mercenary group Wagner vowed to bring down the country's military leadership.

Authorities in the regions of Rostov and Lipetsk also said security had been reinforced there.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said earlier his units, which spearheaded an assault in eastern Ukraine, had entered the southern region of Rostov.

"In connection with the incoming information in Moscow, anti-terrorist measures aimed at strengthening security are being taken," Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on social media. (AFP)

As 62-year-old Yevgeny Prigozhin is now threatening Moscow with a coup, Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov said Russia has long turned into a mafia state and years ago Russia collapsed. "As I said, there is no Russian state, no political chain of command, and total failure in Ukraine has exposed that. Who will obey whose orders now? If Prigozhin is still alive and free in 24 hours, we will have entered a new reality," Kasparov said. Read more

Clashes between Elements of the Wagner PMC Group and the Russian Military are reportedly ongoing along the M-4 Highway in the Pavlovsk District of the Voronezh Region which is over 216 Miles away from the City of Rostov-on-Don which appears to now be under the Control of the Wager Group.

After the Wagner Group had captured Russia's key military town of Rostov-on-Don, locals in the area seems to be confused about the recent development around them.