Russia's FSB, Prosecutor General's Office Launch Criminal Case Against Prigozhin
21:12 23.06.2023 (Updated: 01:27 24.06.2023)
© Sputnik . Yevgeny Biyatov
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Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and Prosecutor General’s Office have launched a criminal case against Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin for attempting to incite an armed uprising.
Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee said Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) had opened a criminal case over "calling for an armed rebellion," and that allegations spread on behalf of Wagner chief Prigozhin were "unfounded."
"In connection with these statements, the FSB has opened a criminal case over calls for an armed rebellion. We demand that these illegal actions be stopped immediately," the committee said.
The Prosecutor General's Office confirmed that the case against Prigozhin had been launched, addressing it in an official statement:
"On June 23, 2023, the Investigative Department of the FSB of Russia has initiated a criminal case against Prigozhin E.V. under Article 279 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation on the fact of organizing an armed rebellion. His actions will be given a proper legal assessment. This crime is punishable by imprisonment for a term of 12 to 20 years"
Earlier in the day, footage and audio attributed to Wagner troops and Prigozhin surfaced online alleging that a "missile attack" had been launched at a Wagner camp, and that the strike was "delivered from the rear, that is by forces of the Russian Defense Ministry."
Reporting on the developments, the Russian Channel One said that the video alleging that a missile attack had been launched at a Wagner camp by the Russian Defense Ministry is fake.
The voice attributed to Prigozhin appeared to call for the ouster of the Defense Ministry's leadership. The footage and audio were immediately jumped on by Ukrainian and US state-funded media outlets, which have been reporting heavily on Prigozhin's criticism of Russian generals in recent weeks.
Russia's Defense Ministry addresed the claims, calling them fake:
"All the messages and videos distributed on social networks on behalf of [Wagner Head Yevgeny] Prigozhin about alleged ‘strike by Russian Defense Ministry on’ the rear camps of the Wagner PMC do not correspond to reality and are an informational provocation," the ministry said in a statement on its Telegram page Friday. "The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to carry out combat missions on the line of contact with the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the area of the special military operation."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday that President Putin has been "informed of all events around Prigozhin," and said that "necessary measures are being taken." The press secretary did not elaborate.
'We Must Not Play Into the Hands of the Enemy'
Meanwhile, the Deputy Commander of the Joint Group of Forces General of the Army Sergey Surovikin urged Wagner troops to return to their bases and hold their positions.
"I have just come from the frontline, where our troops, our commanders, our soldiers, our fighters, volunteers are carrying out the task, fighting the enemy to the death, with the superior forces of the enemy, suffering losses, but standing on their positions. I appeal to the leadership, to the commanders and fighters of the Wagner PMC. Together with you we have passed a difficult, hard way, we have fought together, taken the risks, suffered losses, we have won together. We are the same blood, we are warriors. I call you to stop. The enemy is only waiting for our domestic political situation to deteriorate. We must not play into the hands of the enemy at this difficult time for the country. Before it is too late, we must do something - we must obey the will and order of the President of the Russian Federation, who was elected by the people, we must stop the columns, return them to their permanent bases and areas of concentration, and solve all the problems only peacefully, under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation."
The Kiev Regime Takes Advantage
Soon after the development, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that the Kiev regime was concentrating several brigades on the Artemovsk direction for the offensive, taking advantage of Prigozhin's provocation.
"Taking advantage of Prigozhin's provocation to disrupt the situation, the Kiev regime is concentrating units of the 35th and the 36th marine brigades of the AFU in Bakhmut tactical direction at the initial line for offensive actions. The servicemen of the Yug Group of Forces are defeating the enemy with air and artillery strikes," the Russian Defense Ministry said.
Wagner units and Russian Army forces jointly took part in the battle of Artemovsk (Bakhmut), liberating the Donetsk city in late May after eight months of heavy fighting which pinned down large concentrations of Ukrainian troops, allowed Russia to train up its mobilized reserves, and resulted in a major defeat for Kiev ahead of its now-stalled counteroffensive.
