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“This scum will be stopped.” Prigozhin alleges Wagner PMC camps targeted by Shoigu and Russian Defense Ministry, vows retaliation

The Insider

Yevgeny Prigozhin, a co-founder of Wagner PMC, claimed that the Russian Ministry of Defense initiated missile attacks on Wagner PMC's rear camps. He pledged to respond to the assault, alleging the “death of numerous fighters”, and expressed his determination to “deal with those who are killing Russian soldiers”. Prigozhin vowed to “eliminate” those who will resist.

Subsequently, a statement was issued by the press service of Prigozhin, on behalf of military commanders.

“The Council of Commanders of Wagner PMC has made a decision: the evil being perpetrated by the country's military leadership must be stopped. They disregard the lives of soldiers and have forgotten the word “justice,” but we will restore it. Therefore, those who have taken the lives of our comrades today and tens of thousands of Russian soldiers will be punished. Once we finish what we have started, we will return to the frontlines to defend our homeland. The presidential authority, government, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Russian National Guard, and other structures will continue their work. We will deal with those who are killing Russian soldiers and return to the frontlines,” Prigozhin said.

He advised against going out on the streets along the route taken by Wagner PMC and pledged to return to the front once the fighters “finish what they started.”

In his subsequent statement, Prigozhin claimed that “Shoigu cowardly fled from Rostov” and promised to stop him.

“At 9 p.m., he fled like a coward, like a woman. To avoid explaining why he deployed helicopters to destroy our boys, why he carried out missile strikes. This scum will be stopped,” he said.

Furthermore, Prigozhin called on everyone willing to join and “put an end to this outrage.”

“We are a force of 25,000, and we are determined to investigate the lawlessness occurring in the country. The 25,000 serve as our tactical reserve, while the entire army and nation form our strategic reserve. Everyone who desires is welcome to join us. It is imperative to put an end to this chaos,” he stated.

Furthermore, the Kremlin chef asserted that, according to his information, Shoigu deliberately arrived in Rostov to execute an operation aimed at eradicating Wagner PMC. According to Prigozhin, the Russian Minister of Defense “covertly deployed artillery personnel and helicopter pilots to exterminate us.”

The Russian Ministry of Defense refutes any claims of launching attacks on Wagner PMC's positions.

“All messages and video footage being circulated on social media, purporting that the Russian Ministry of Defense has conducted strikes on the 'rear camps of Wagner PMC,' are false and constitute an act of misinformation,” stated the ministry in a message conveyed by RIA “Novosti.”