On Friday, 23 June, the Wagner PMC said that Russian army personnel had struck their camps. As a result, many Wagnerians were wounded and there were also fatalities. PMC owner Yevgeny Prigozhin promised revenge, and the Russian security forces were put on alert.

One of the Telegram channels associated with the PMCs wrote about the attack (to see photos and video, scroll to the end of the page). "The Wagnerians were attacked from helicopters.

"There was a missile strike on the Wagner PMC camps. Many casualties. According to eyewitnesses, the strike was launched from the rear, i.e. carried out by the Russian Defense Ministry's military," a Telegram post said.

The Russian Ministry of Defence was quick to deny that the strike on the Wagnerites was a provocation.

"All the messages and video footage spread on social networks on behalf of Prigozhin about the alleged "strike by the Russian Defense Ministry on the rear camps of the Wagner PMC" are untrue and are an information provocation," the statement said.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, owner of a private military company, has already vowed to take revenge on Russian troops and their commanders - "the next step is ours", he said. "Putin's cook" has already announced the start of an armed conflict with the Russian military leadership.

"The council of commanders of the Wagner PMC has decided: the evil of the country's military leadership must be stopped. They neglect the lives of soldiers, they have forgotten the word 'justice', and we will bring it back. So those who destroyed our lads today, and tens of thousands of lives of Russian soldiers, will be punished. I ask no one to resist...We will deal with those who destroy Russian soldiers, and we will return to the front," Prigozhin said.

Video contains foul language, 18+

We would like to point out that a screenshot of correspondence of one of the occupant was circulated in the Russian publicity sites. According to him, Russian soldiers were ordered to "pummel the Wagners".

It was also reported that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, together with the head of the Russian General Staff, Valeriy Gerasimov, allegedly came to Rostov to develop a plan to detain Wagner PMC fighters.

Prigozhin also said this later.

"The defence minister specifically came to Rostov to carry out an operation to eliminate the Wagner PMCs. He used artillerymen and helicopter pilots in darkness to destroy us," he said.

Prigozhin later claimed that Shoigu fled Rostov in a hurry.

"At 9 p.m. he fled cowardly like a woman. Not to explain why he lifted helicopters to destroy our guys, why he launched missile strikes. This thing will be stopped," said the owner of the PMC.

The reaction of the FSB (Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation), the Kremlin and the military

A statement from Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee was released: "In connection with these statements, the Federal Security Service of Russia has opened a criminal case on the fact of calling for armed insurrection. We demand the immediate cessation of the unlawful actions".

The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin had been informed of the situation around Prigozhin.

"All necessary measures are being taken," Dmitry Peskov, the dictator's spokesman, said.

Later, the FSB's Public Relations Centre noted that Prigozhin's statements and actions were in fact calls for the start of an armed civil conflict on Russian territory.

"A case on the fact of an appeal to rebellion by Prigozhin has been opened due to the seriousness of the situation and the threat of escalation," it added.

Russian General Sergei Surovikin addressed the Wagner PMC fighters and urged them to stop. He said that any destabilisation in Russia "will play into the hands of the enemy".

"Before it is too late, it is necessary and necessary to obey the will and order of the popularly elected president. Stop the columns, return them to their permanent deployment points. Resolve all problems only peacefully under the leadership of the supreme commander-in-chief," Surovikin added.

Russian security forces put on alert

Russian media subsequently reported that the Russian Federal Guard Service and the "Grom" units of the Russian Interior Ministry had been put on alert, while the FSB Special Purpose Centre had been put on full alert. The OMON (a special police unit) of the Krasnodar region of the Russian Federation has also been put on alert.

"A military board is being convened at Frunzenskaya: a general assembly has been announced for the central military administration," propagandists wrote. The main building of the Defense Ministry is located on Frunzenskaya Embankment in Moscow.

In the Rostov region, according to the Russian media, after Prigozhin's statement, they started arming conscripts. The command gave them no explanation.

"I am in the reserve, my 30 men have already been sent to armor (receiving equipment - Ed.). They are receiving armour, weapons, waiting for an APC," the statement said.

A "Fortress" plan has been announced in a number of police departments in the Rostov region, as well as in Moscow. It involves an emergency gathering of personnel and taking control of particularly important security agency facilities.

Military equipment has been spotted in the centre of Rostov. Streets in the city were blocked off and military helicopters were spotted in the air.

Military equipment has also been spotted outside the State Duma building in Moscow.

In the Russian capital, all the most important facilities, state authorities and transport infrastructure have been placed under heightened guard, RosSMI reported.

"The OMON and SOBR (Special Rapid Response Unit) units of the Russian Guard Service have been put on alert in Moscow. All Rosgvardia officers of the Central District have arrived at the units on alert, and police officers have also been put on alert," the propagandists wrote.

The embankment near the Russian Defence Ministry's building in Moscow has been closed off and is being patrolled by riflemen. Police have also blocked access to the Putin administration.

At the entrances to Moscow, vehicles are selectively checked. Particular attention is being paid to trucks.

Has Wagner entered Russian territory?

At around 2am, Prigozhin claimed that the Wagner fighters had allegedly "crossed the state border in all places" and were entering Rostov.

"Border guards were coming out to meet and embracing our fighters. The regulars, who were thrown to block our roads, stepped aside. We do not fight with children, we do not kill children, children are killed by Shoigu...We will destroy everything that gets in our way. We will go all the way," he said.

According to "Putin's cook," the chief of the Russian General Staff "gave the order to raise the planes and open fire on the PMC Wagner columns, which are walking among the civilian cars and trucks.

Later, according to Prigozhin, a Russian army helicopter opened fire on the Wagner convoy and was allegedly shot down afterwards.

In the Rostov Region, people were urged to remain calm and not to leave their homes unnecessarily.

"The current situation requires maximum concentration of all forces to maintain order. Law enforcement agencies are doing everything necessary to ensure the safety of the region's residents," said Governor Vasily Golubev.

As OBOZREVATEL reported, Yevgeny Prigozhin said that he had written statements to the Russian Investigative Committee against the aggressor country's defence minister,  Sergei Shoigu, and the head of the Russian General Staff, Valeriy Gerasimov. He said both of these generals should be held responsible for the "genocide of the Russian people".

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