Pro-war Russian Telegram channels claim 13-20 dead due to Prigozhin’s mutiny
Russian pro-war media and Telegram channels are claiming that 13 to 20 people died as a result of the mutiny by Wagner Group fighters.
Source: Meduza, a Latvia-based Russian media outlet, citing pro-war Telegram channels
Details: Readovka, a so-called "patriotic" Russian media outlet, without citing sources, estimated the Russian Defence Ministry’s losses from the mutiny at 15 people, all servicemen who were on board the downed planes and helicopters. Readovka claims that these include at least eight people who were on board the airborne command post based on the Il-18 aircraft.
A Telegram channel called Rybar says that more than 20 pilots who were on board seven helicopters and planes were killed.
The Telegram channel Fighterbomber, which reported on downed aircraft during the mutiny, is reporting 13 dead.
There is no official information on this matter.
Background:
- On the evening of 23 June, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed that the regular Russian army had launched a missile strike on the Wagner mercenaries’ rear camps. He deployed 25,000 of his mercenaries "to restore justice".
- On the morning of 24 June, Prigozhin claimed that his forces had taken control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don, including the air base, and were heading "to Moscow", and that his soldiers had shot down three Russian helicopters. Wagner mercenaries also seized military facilities in the Russian city of Voronezh.
- In an emergency address on 24 June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia was "fighting for survival" and that attempts were being made to "organise a rebellion" in the country.
- Russian media reported that the Office of the President of the Russian Federation anticipated that Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group fighters would likely reach Moscow’s outskirts in the next few hours, with fighting expected near Russia’s capital. Ukrainian intelligence had information that Putin had urgently left Moscow for his residence in Valdai. A convoy of Wagner Group forces was spotted only 400 kilometres away from Moscow.
- On Saturday evening, after a conversation with Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus, Prigozhin announced that his mercenaries were turning their convoys around and going back to set up field camps. Later, it was reported that the criminal case against Prigozhin is to be closed and he will "go to Belarus".
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