Prigozhin states Wagner PMC is entering Rostov, Russian General Staff orders to open fire

Yevgeny Prigozhin, Head of the Wagner Private Military Group (PMC)  has claimed that his army has crossed the state border of the Russian Federation "everywhere" and entered the city of Rostov-on-Don, while the General Staff of the Russian Federation ordered regular army units to open fire.

Source: Prigozhin's press service on Telegram

Quote: "At the moment, we have crossed the state border everywhere. Border guards came out to meet us and hugged our fighters. Now we are entering Rostov.

Units from the Ministry of Defence, or rather conscripts, who were sent to block our way, moved aside. We are not at war with children. We don't kill children. Children are being killed by Shoigu, who has been sending untrained soldiers, in particular conscripts, into the war.

If someone gets in the way... We will destroy anything that gets in the way. We are extending our hand to everyone – no need to spit in that hand. We are moving on. We will carry on till the end."

Details: Prigozhin also claimed that in addition to the missile strike, helicopters and artillery attacked the Wagnerites. The orders, he said, came from the head of the General Staff of the Russian Federation after his meeting with Sergei Shoigu.

Prigozhin said that the General Staff of the Russian Federation ordered the troops to "open fire."

"Just now the chief of the General Staff ordered [the army] to fly aircraft and open fire on the convoys that are travelling alongside civilian cars, among trucks. He doesn't care who they kill. They have been killing their civilians for eighteen months now, instead of fighting the enemy.

I want to say thank you to the pilots who, as it has just become known, refused to obey criminal orders. "

Background: 

• Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed that the regular Russian army had launched a missile strike on the Wagnerites’ rear camps. According to him, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu flew to Rostov, where he personally conducted an operation to destroy the mercenaries. 
• Prigozhin’s 25,000 mercenaries are allegedly on their way "to restore justice." At the same time, he asks not to call it a "military coup". Prigozhin added that Shoigu fled Rostov like a coward and that "this creature will be stopped." The Russian Defence Ministry called the information a provocation.
• Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has been informed about the conflict between Shoigu and Prigozhin. The FSB has opened a criminal case against Prigozhin for incitement to armed rebellion. 
• Photos and videos of armoured vehicles on the streets of the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don are being posted on Russian social media following Prigozhin’s statement about a de facto declaration of war against the Russian army. Checkpoints are being set up at entrances to Moscow.

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