US, UK, EU, etc. "Closely Monitoring Armed Rebellion by Russian Mercenary Group"

Ukraine "This Is Just the Beginning," Claims

The United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union (EU) are closely monitoring the situation regarding the armed rebellion by the Russian mercenary company Wagner Group.

Military vehicles are seen in the city of Rostov-on-Don, where the Russian military headquarters is located.
[Photo by Reuters Yonhap News]

On the 24th (local time), according to foreign media including AFP, Adam Hodges, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council (NSC), stated, "We are carefully observing the situation inside Russia and will consult with our allies and partners." The NSC also announced that U.S. President Joe Biden has been briefed on the current situation.

The UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence Intelligence (DI) assessed in its daily intelligence update posted on Twitter that this incident "shows that Russia is facing its most serious crisis in recent times." It further analyzed, "More Wagner units are advancing north through Russia’s Voronezh region, almost certainly aiming for Moscow."

DI noted that "there is very limited evidence of combat between Wagner mercenaries and Russian security forces, and some may have tacitly allowed Wagner’s northward advance or remained passive." It also predicted, "In the coming hours, the loyalty of Russia’s security forces, especially the Russian National Guard, will be a crucial key to how this crisis unfolds." The UK Foreign Office warned travelers to exercise caution, citing the risk of the unstable situation spreading throughout Russia.

Foreign media reported that countries including the EU, Germany, and France have repeatedly expressed that they are closely watching the situation. Mykhailo Podolyak, advisor to the Ukrainian president, described Wagner Group’s armed rebellion as "just the beginning," adding, "The division among the elites is so obvious that pretending everything is resolved will be futile."

The UK Ministry of Defence and foreign media reported that Wagner Group has begun advancing north toward Moscow, having seized the southern Russian city of Voronezh following Rostov-on-Don. Voronezh is a city located about 500 km south of Moscow. The Russian Anti-Terrorism Committee declared an anti-terrorism operation regime in Voronezh along with Moscow on the same day. An arrest warrant was issued for Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner Group. Earlier, Wagner Group had taken control of the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, located in Russia’s southwestern Rostov region, claiming that Russian forces had attacked them.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a televised address that day, said, "We are witnessing a situation where a knife is being plunged into our backs and facing treason," warning, "Our response will be harsh, and those involved in the rebellion will be punished." He also stated, "Prigozhin has betrayed Russia out of personal ambition."