Putin’s ‘Stab in the Back’: Wagner Group Leader Stages Rebellion Against Russian Regime
The longstanding Russian president, Vladimir Putin, experiences an unforeseen revolt led by the leader of the private military company, Wagner Group, marking a significant disruption in Moscow's power dynamics
Russian President Vladimir Putin faced the most serious challenge yet to his more than 20-year rule on Saturday when the leader of the Wagner Group private army staged an armed rebellion in hopes of toppling Moscow’s military leadership.
Tensions between the paramilitary group and Russia’s Defense Ministry escalated rapidly and reached a climax on Saturday when Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin ordered his fighters to move toward the capital city of Moscow.
All those who prepared the rebellion will suffer inevitable punishment
In a televised address on Saturday morning, a somber-looking Putin described the rebellion as a “stab in the back.”
“All those who prepared the rebellion will suffer inevitable punishment,” Putin said. “The armed forces and other government agencies have received the necessary orders.”
We are patriots of our motherland
Prigozhin responded to the president’s speech on Telegram, calling Putin “deeply mistaken.”
“We are patriots of our motherland,” he said in an audio message.
By Saturday evening, Prigozhin appeared to have changed his mind, saying his forces would stop their march on Moscow to avoid bloodshed.
Prigozhin was once a close confidant of Putin’s, but their relationship will likely not withstand Prigozhin’s attempt at rebellion.
The rebellion followed alleged attacks by Russian forces on Wagner military camps in eastern Ukraine. In a statement late Friday, Prigozhin appeared to call for a rebellion against Russian military leadership, without clearly stating his ultimate intentions.
Wagner forces left Ukraine early Saturday apparently en route to Moscow. The mercenary group reportedly took control of the Russian military headquarters in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, which oversee the fighting in Ukraine.
Ultimately, the troops made it within 120 miles of Moscow before turning around. A direct faceoff between Wagner and Russian military forces was averted when Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko intervened, negotiating an amnesty deal to put an end to the armed insurrection.
Under the deal, Prigozhin was exiled to Belarus and his forces returned to their base. Russia agreed not to pursue a criminal case against Prigozhin or the troops involved in the rebellion.
Before founding the Wagner Group, Prigozhin operated a catering company with Kremlin contracts, taking on the nickname “Putin’s chef.” He built a catering empire, providing food services for schools as well as Kremlin events.
After Prigozhin founded the private military corporation in 2014, Wagner soldiers in unmarked uniforms backed Russian forces in the illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula. The forces helped maintain a Russian presence in cities such as Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.
Much of the history of the Wagner Group is shrouded in secrecy. Prigozhin long denied any connection to the group, admitting only last year to being the group’s founder.
Most of the group’s mercenaries are recruited either from Russia’s elite regiments and special forces or from Russian prisons. In 2022, Prigozhin admitted to recruiting Russian prisoners in exchange for amnesty.
Since its founding less than a decade ago, the Wagner Group has grown in size and scope, becoming a key player in Russia’s military strategy in Ukraine and elsewhere.
For the past few months, Prigozhin has repeatedly accused top Russian military officers of withholding critical military aid. He has openly pointed a finger at Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and top military officer Valery Gerasimov, blaming them for his fighters’ lack of weapons and accusing them of allowing his soldiers to die.
Prigozhin has also refused to sign a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry.
Wagner soldiers have fought as mercenaries in numerous conflicts in Africa. The private military company has deployed its troops to Sudan, Mali, and Mozambique, among other African countries, to fight alongside pro-government forces and guard oil fields.
The Wagner Group also deployed troops to Libya to support Gen. Khalifa Haftar’s forces.
Prigozhin is wanted by the FBI for “conspiracy to defraud the United States.” He oversaw the Internet Research Agency, a St. Petersburg-based company that was allegedly involved in online pro-Russia propaganda and political warfare, including an attempt to influence the 2016 US election. The FBI is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to Prigozhin’s arrest.
