Russia is set to prosecute mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin for armed mutiny after he accused military leaders of killing 2,000 of his fighters.

Russian generals call for Wagner troops to “come to their senses”

Russian generals released videos urging Wagner Group troops to lay down their arms “before it’s too late.”

A video posted online by Gen. Sergey Surovikin, who led all Russian forces in Ukraine until January, called Prigozhin an “enemy” who is “waiting for the domestic political situation in our country to worsen.” Russian soldiers and Wagner mercenaries, meanwhile, “are of the same blood,” he added.

Those marching on Russia needed to “obey the will and order of the popularly elected president of the Russian Federation, stop the columns, return them to their permanent deployment points and concentration areas, solve all problems only by peaceful means,” Surovikin said.

Another video posted online described the actions as a “stab in the back of the country and the president” by Gen. Vladimir Alekseev.

As a fighter alongside them since 2014, he urged them to come to their senses.

“This is a coup d’état,” he said.

There is now the possibility of a confrontation between Wagner’s mercenaries and Russian troops, analysts say.

Yevgeny Prigozhin said the “evil” in the military leadership must be stopped and vowed to “march for justice”.

#BREAKING Prigozhin publishes his statement, says Russian Army shelled Wagner's camp, says he is moving his units to Moscow to "punish" the military, "restore justice", urges military not trying to stop his units, threatens to kill anyone who will try.pic.twitter.com/0Tp0yW7O5E

— Sergej Sumlenny (@sumlenny) June 23, 2023

As a long-running standoff between him and the Defence Ministry appeared to come to a head late on Friday, the ministry issued a statement denying Prigozhin’s accusations and denouncing them as “informational provocation.”

Kyiv, meanwhile, said the major thrust in its counteroffensive against Moscow’s invasion had yet to be launched. “The main blow is still to come,” Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar told Ukrainian television.

This is downtown Moscow right now. Operation "Fortress" in response to Wagner PMC declaring a civil war on the Kremlin. pic.twitter.com/pfjwymuXbI

— Igor Sushko (@igorsushko) June 23, 2023

A top Ukrainian general reported “tangible successes” in advances in the south – one of two main theatres of operations, along with eastern Ukraine.

Growing resentment

Russian forces there have been fighting alongside mercenaries from the Wagner private military company, whose leader Prigozhin vowed to stop what he called the Russian military’s “evil”. He denied his actions amounted to a coup.

However, Russia’s FSB security service opened a criminal case against him for calling for an armed mutiny, the TASS news agency said, citing the National Anti-terrorism Committee.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the developments and “necessary measures are being taken”, Interfax news agency said, citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

Security was stepped up on Friday night at government buildings, transport facilities and other key locations in Moscow, the state news agency TASS reported, citing a source at a security service.

“Obey the President”

The deputy commander of Russia’s Ukraine campaign, General Sergei Surovikin, told Wagner fighters to obey Putin, accept Moscow’s commanders and return to their bases. He said political deterioration would play into the hands of Russia’s enemies.

“I urge you to stop,” Surovikin said in a video posted on Telegram, his right hand resting on a rifle.

The standoff, many of the details of which remained unclear, looked like the biggest domestic crisis Putin has faced since he sent thousands of troops into Ukraine in February last year.