Ukraine War Update NEWS: Breaking News - Russian Coup?
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"This could unhinge the entire Russian war effort...there are cracks, there are chasms appearing in the Russian war project, there is no unity, this is incredibly significant"
Hello Team!
Jonathan provides a late night breaking news update on extraordinary events unfolding in Russia that could indicate a coup attempt by Yevgeny Prigozhin and Wagner against the Russian military leadership. He admits it is hard to make sense of all the conflicting information coming out but will try to provide a synopsis of the key developments.
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Prigozhin's statements and ultimatum
- Earlier in the day, Prigozhin issued statements highly critical of the Russian MOD's conduct of the war, stopping just short of directly criticizing Putin
- Prigozhin claims the Russian military launched a rocket attack on a Wagner camp in the Rostov region, killing many of his fighters
- In an escalation, Prigozhin vowed to punish those responsible, saying he has 25,000 fighters and called on the Russian military to join him to "end this mess"
- He told civilians to stay indoors and said "we will figure out why this chaos is happening in the country"
Russian government response
- The FSB security service opened a criminal case against Prigozhin for calling for an armed rebellion
- The Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee demanded Prigozhin halt his actions immediately
- Security measures were strengthened in Moscow and a rarely-used "Fortress" emergency plan activated in anticipation of an attack
- Two key allies of Prigozhin, including General Sergei Surovikin, released statements calling on Wagner forces to stand down and return to base
Unconfirmed reports and rumors
- Unconfirmed footage of military vehicles and troops blocking roads in Moscow and Rostov
- Claims that Wagner forces fired on Russian troops near Bakhmut and are moving towards Moscow
- A Russian military base near Moscow potentially on fire
- The Kremlin and state media denying the developments have anything to do with Prigozhin, instead blaming alleged Ukrainian "sabotage groups"
Potential significance
Jonathan notes that if true, an attempt by Prigozhin to seize control of Rostov-on-Don would cut off the main supply route for Russian forces in Ukraine, leaving them vulnerable. He says while much remains unconfirmed, this is a highly significant development exposing major cracks in the unity of the Russian war effort. If Ukraine had asked for anything to help their counteroffensive, this chaos and infighting would be the perfect scenario.
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Wrap up
Jonathan admits this is a hastily put together update given the fast-moving events and his own slightly inebriated state. He promises to provide a more comprehensive summary of overnight developments in his next regular news update video. In the meantime, he urges viewers to share any insights or additional information they have in the video comments. He signs off by saying "take care, speak soon, goodbye."
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