Rogue Russian mercenary fighters from the Wagner group have had their efforts labelled as “treason” by Vladimir Putin after seizing military centre Rostov-on-Don.
The escalation marks one of the most explosive episodes in the country’s war saga yet after the group’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin accused the Kremlin of deliberately bombing Wagner troops.
However, Britain’s Ministry of Defence have now called the instalment “the most significant challenge to the Russian state” in a series of events that’s set to put the city firmly on the map.
Rostov-on-Don, also known as simply Rostov, is the largest city in southern Russia and sits about 100km from the eastern Ukraine border.
The population is about one million people and Rostov also houses Russia’s southern military district command and the 58th Combined Arms Army, which is currently engaged in major counteroffensive efforts against Ukraine.
Rostov sits almost directly south of Moscow with approximately 1161 km separating the two cities.
Despite the distance, a triumphant Prigozhin said on Saturday that the Wagner fighters’ sights were firmly set on the Russian capital.
In one video, Prigozhin said he was at the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov and demanded Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the country’s top general Valery Gerasimov come meet him.
“We have arrived here, we want to receive the chief of the general staff and Shoigu,” Prigozhin said.
“Unless they come, we’ll be here, we’ll blockade the city of Rostov and head for Moscow.
Prigozhin said in another video multiple military sites in Rostov, including the airfield, were under the Wagner’s control.
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