Prigogine says he is at military headquarters in Rostov and controls military bases

• 8:22 am .: “Anti-terrorist operation regime” established in Moscow (Russian agencies)

A “regime of counter-terrorist operations” has been established in Moscow and its region as Russia is rocked by an insurgency by the paramilitary group Wagner, the National Counter-Terrorism Committee announces.

“In order to prevent possible attacks”, the regime was also established in the Voronezh region, which borders Ukraine, the committee said in a statement, cited by Russian news agencies. The move strengthens the powers of the security services and allows them to control movements.

• 8:12 am: “Ukraine is watching with great interest what is happening in Russia”, explains our Special Envoy to Ukraine

• 7:58 am: Vladimir Putin to address nation soon (Kremlin)

Russian President Vladimir Putin will address the nation “soon” as his country is rocked by an uprising by paramilitary group Wagner, the Kremlin has announced.

“Putin will make a speech soon,” presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies.

• 7:04 am: Prigogine says he is at military headquarters in Rostov and in control of military bases.

Chairman of Wagner Paramilitary Group It claims to be at the Russian military headquarters in the city of Rostov, the main center of Russia’s offensive.Ukraineand took control of military bases, including an airfield.

“We’re at headquarters, it’s 7:30 in the morning.” (4:30 GMT), Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video posted on Telegram that “military bases in Rostov are under control, including the airport,” he says. Behind him walk men in uniform.

He assured that the military planes involved in the Russian offensive in Ukraine were “departing normally” from the airfield and carrying out their “combat missions”, confirming that there were “no problems”. “The main command point is functioning normally,” he continued, assuring that “no officer” has been suspended from duty.

“Most of the captured territories” in Ukraine were “lost” and “many soldiers were killed”, he confirmed, again accusing the Russian army of not telling the truth about the situation on the front. The army is losing “1,000 men a day,” including those killed, wounded, missing or refusing to fight, he promised more.

• 5:44 am: Rebellion in Russia: Security measures beefed up in several Russian regions

The Russian capital, the Rostov region, neighboring Ukraine and Lipetsk announced on Saturday that they had strengthened security measures in response to an insurgency by the paramilitary group Wagner.

“Because of information [nous] Anti-terror operations are underway in Moscow with the aim of arriving and strengthening security measures,” the capital’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, wrote in a Telegram message.

In the south of the country, the Rostov region, where the Wagner group is said to have entered, has issued a stay-at-home call.

“Police are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of the residents of the area. [de Rostov]. I ask everyone to remain calm and not to leave the house unnecessarily,” Governor Vasiliy Golubev wrote in a telegram.

After that, the authorities called on the residents of the named capital not to go to the city center. Pictures and online publications show armed men near official buildings.

• 5:33 am: “A military coup”, according to our journalist Elena Voloshin

• 5:05 am: Russian dissident Khodorkovsky has called on Wagner to help the leader against Putin’s regime.

Exiled Russian enemy and businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky In the rebellion against the Russian army, Wagner appealed to the leader of the group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, to help fight the regime. Vladimir Putin.

“Yes, if he decides to go against this regime, even the devil must help him! (…) If this bandit [Evguéni Prigojine] Likes to disturb others [Vladimir Poutine]This is not the time to frown, now is the time to help,” he wrote in a telegram.

• 3:01 am: Wagner chief says his forces shot down Russian military helicopter

Wagner, head of a paramilitary group that has launched an armed rebellion against Russian civil servants, said overnight that his forces had shot down a Russian military helicopter.

“At this moment, a helicopter opened fire on the civilian column, which was shot down by Wagner’s units,” Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a new audio message, without specifying the location of the incident.

AFP cannot confirm the veracity of these comments.

• 2:30 a.m.: Anti-aircraft defenses in Q, explosions in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine

Explosions rang out overnight in Kiev and Kharkiv, and officials in both cities said they were on alert across Ukraine for possible Russian strikes. “Air defense works in the capital,” Kyiv’s military administration said in a telegram.

Then Mayor Vitaly Klitschko announced “explosions” in the Solomiansky district. “All services [de secours] have been dispatched to the spot,” he added.

“Explosions were heard in Kharkiv,” said Igor Derekov, the mayor of the country’s second city.

Finally, the Ukrainian Air Force announced that missiles had been fired specifically in the direction of the Sumy, Poltava and Dnipro regions.

• 1:54 am: Putin “constantly briefed” by security services (Kremlin).

The Kremlin said Wagner, the head of the paramilitary group, was “constantly informed” of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s developments following his declaration of armed rebellion.

“Special services, law enforcement agencies, namely the Ministry of Defense, FSB (Security Services), Ministry of Internal Affairs, National Guard, regularly report to the President on the actions taken to implement the instructions given to them.” Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian news agencies.

• 1:50 am: White House surveillance situation on Russia, Biden press secretary

A spokesman said the White House was monitoring the situation in Russia after the Wagner Rebellion, a paramilitary group against Russian public servants. Joe Biden Reported regularly.

“We are monitoring the situation and will be speaking with our allies and partners about these developments,” White House National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge said.

• 1:45 a.m.: Wagner vows to “go all the way,” says he will enter Russia

Rebelling against the Russian military command, the head of the Wagner sub-military group vowed to “go all the way” and “destroy everything in its path,” claiming that his troops had crossed into Russian territory.

“We continue, we will go to the end,” Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio message on Telegram, after declaring that his forces “crossed the border (…) of the Russian state” while stationed in Ukraine. Evguéni Prigojine claims he has 25,000 fighter jets.

Wagner’s president did not provide evidence for these claims, and AFP could not confirm the veracity of these comments.

• 12:37 am .: Ukrainian troops prepare to attack Wagner (Moscow) boss “using provocation”

there Russia Ukrainian forces are “taking advantage” of the chaos caused by the Wagner group’s call for a mutiny against the Russian general staff, saying Ukrainian forces are preparing to attack near the town of Baghmoud.

“Using Prigozhin’s provocation to destabilize the situation, the Kiev regime regroups 35 units.^e and 36^e “Marine infantry restrictions on offensive operations”, in the Bagmouth area, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed in a statement, attacking Ukrainian forces with aircraft and artillery.

• 12:03 am: An influential Russian general calls on the Wagner Group to “halt” before it is “too late”.

Influential Russian General Sergei Surovykin on Friday called on the Wagner group’s fighters to “stop” and return to their forces “before it’s too late”.

“I address the fighters and leaders of the Wagner group (…) We are of the same blood, we are warriors. I [vous] Asking you to stop (…) Before it’s too late, we must obey the will and order of the elected president of Russia”, he said in a video broadcast by Russian state television’s journalist Telegram.

The Russian Security Services (FSB) have launched an investigation into a “call to armed mutiny”, the leader of the Wagner Group’s call to rise up against the military command, accusing him of bombing his men.

“President (Vladimir) Putin (Evgeny) Prigojine is informed of all events surrounding. Necessary measures are being taken,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, citing the company. Cup.

With AFP and Reuters