ON THE BRINK
Rishi Sunak calls Cobra emergency meeting as UK & allies keeping ‘close eye’ on Wagner Group rebellion in Russia
PRIME Minister Rishi Sunak called an emergency Cobra meeting as they keep a "close eye" on the armed rebellion which took place in southern Russia earlier today.
The PM urged all parties to "protect civilians" as they fear mass unrest across Russia amid Wagner group mercenaries' extraordinary attempted coup.
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Vladimir Putin has faced the "most significant challenge" to his iron-fist rule since he took power in the Kremlin more than two decades ago as he vowed to crush the armed "mutiny".
Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin began his coup attempt to "punish" Russia after he blamed Putin for a missile attack on a Wagner training camp in Bakhmut, Ukraine, which killed dozens.
Early on Saturday, he announced he had taken control of the Russian army HQ in Rostov - as he vowed to march toward Moscow and rally his troops.
Prigozhin's mercenary group has now turned back to their bases after agreeing to de-escalate the rebellion to "avoid bloodshed".
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It's understood Wagner fighters had also seized control of military facilities in the city of Voronezh - around 310 miles south of Moscow.
Rishi Sunak is understood to have called an emergency Cobra meeting to discuss the situation in Russia earlier today.
The Prime Minister told the BBC: "We're keeping a close eye on the situation as it's evolving on the ground as we speak.
"We're in touch with our allies and, in fact, I'll be speaking to some of them later today.
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"But the most important thing I'd say is for all parties to be responsible and to protect civilians, and that's about as much as I can say at this moment."
What we know so far:
- Wagner Group forces are now in open rebellion in eastern Russia
- Putin delivered an early morning address, raging: "This is treason"
- Mercenary company appears to be marching straight for Moscow
- Experts have warned this could be the start of a full-scale Civil War in Russia
- Wagner troops have seized government military facilities in the cities of Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh
- Fighting has been reported along the roads leading to Moscow
- Helicopters and a spy plane have reportedly been shot down, and an oil depot blown up
- Rishi Sunak has called a Cobra meeting as the UK monitors the situation along with the rest of the West
- Wagner warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin claims he wants to oust the Russian military top brass
- Priogzhin used to be a staunch ally of Putin, but appears to have turned on him over Ukraine
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly added that "we are monitoring the situation carefully and liaising closely with our allies."
The Ministry of Defence warned Wagner units "are moving north through Vorenezh... almost certainly aiming to get to Moscow".
The UK MoD described the rebellion as "the most significant challenge to the Russian state in recent times".
The Foreign Office added: "There are reports of military tensions in the Rostov region and a risk of further unrest across the country. Additionally, there is a lack of available flight options to return to the UK."
The UK government continues to advise against all travel to Russia as tensions mount.
Meanwhile, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said: they will stay "in close coordination" with its Group of Seven allies amid the unfolding saga," adding that support for Ukraine "will not change."
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken also added: "Spoke today with G7 Foreign Ministers and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to discuss the ongoing situation in Russia.
"The United States will stay in close coordination with Allies and partners as the situation continues to develop."
Nato confirmed it was "monitoring the situation".
French President Emmanuel Macron is also closely monitoring the situation, his office said.
"The president is following the situation very closely," the Elysee said. "We remain focused on supporting Ukraine."
Germany is "closely following" the dramatic events in Russia as they warned travellers to avoid the city of Rostov and the surrounding area as well as Moscow city centre until further notice.
Earlier on Saturday, Prigozhin - Putin's former pal - claimed his forces had all military facilities in Rostov-on-Don under their control - including the air field.
Extraordinary pictures showed the Russian military building surrounded by tanks and troops from the Wagner Group.
Fuming Putin delivered a rare early morning address on the rebellion - blasting Prigozhin's move as "treason" and a "mortal blow" to Russia.
The 70-year-old warned: "This is a criminal campaign. It is equivalent to armed mutiny.
"Russia will defend itself and repel this move. We are fighting for the life and security of our citizens and our territorial integrity.
"Everything has to be done in order to put this danger to rest. It is an attempt to subvert us from inside. This is treason.
"In the face of those who are fighting on the front, this is a stab in the back of the troops and the people of Russia."
Michael McFaul, a former US ambassador to Russia, branded the rebellion as the "biggest crisis" Putin had ever faced.
He warned there would be "big fight" where "Russians will be killing Russians" unless Prigozhin surrendered.
Prigozhin - an endlessly vocal critic of Russia's military and even Putin himself - has long been thought to have had ambitions of taking control from Putin.
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Prigozhin called for an armed rebellion aimed at ousting Russia's top generals and defence minister Sergei Shoigu.
Russia's security services responded to his declaration of an armed rebellion by calling for his arrest - and security was immediately ramped up in both Rostov and Moscow.
Footage from Moscow showed armoured vehicles racing along the streets - as US officials "closely watched" the events unfold.
Roadblocks manned by special forces were set up around the city as military officials launch a desperate bid to secure both the Kremlin and the Duma building, Russia’s parliament.
Earlier footage showed an armoured motorcade whisking Putin to the Kremlin for an emergency meeting.
Prigozhin and his troops had been fighting in the tyrant's shambolic war in Ukraine - but the Wagner boss has become a vocal critic of Russia's military leadership.
The conflict has been disastrous - blighted by underequipped and undertrained soldiers.
It's estimated up 220,000 Russians have died since Vlad invaded last February - and the grinding bloodbath has seen Prigozhin turn on the top brass in Moscow.
Extraordinary pictures appeared to show rows of Russian soldiers appearing to surrender as Wagner seized control Voronezh - which is six hours by car to Moscow.
It's understood 180 of Putin's troops surrendered at the Bugayevka border crossing in the Voronezh region.
Anti-Putin war analyst Igor Strelkov warned that Russia faces chaos if Prigozhin had marched towards Moscow.
He said it would "immediately cause" the "beginning of the process of disintegration of the Russian Federation" - with Chechnya breaking away leading to a new war.
There would be "a short, but very dirty and bloody period of the dictatorship on the Latin American model", Strelkov said.
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