Russia's Key Military HQ Under Wagner Group's Control, Claims Mercenary Group Chief In Video

The head of the Wagner mercenary group on Saturday said he entered Russia and he was inside key military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia.

"We are inside the (army) headquarters, it is 7:30 am (0430 GMT)," Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video posted on Telegram. "Military sites in Rostov, including an aerodrome, are under control," he added. This military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don serves as a key logistical base for its offensive in Ukraine.

The 62-year-old chief said that planes taking part in the Ukraine offensive "are leaving as normal" from the airfield. "We took (the aerodrome) under control so that the attack aviation did not strike us, but strike Ukrainians," Prigozhin said.

He also appealed to the people of Russia not to believe what they were being told on state television.

"A huge amount of territory is lost. Soldiers have been killed, three, four times more than what it says in documents shown to the top (leadership)," he claimed in the clip. On the other hand, Kremlin has urged its citizens of Rostov to stay at home.

The Wagner Group chief stated that Russia's chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov "ran away from here when he found out that we are approaching the building." In another clip, he is seen talking to two army officials in Rostov. He has threatened to block the city of Rostov and go on to Moscow till they find Gerasimov) and Sergei Shoigu.

He assured that his mercenaries will "not interfere with the commanding troops" while claiming that the orders from the Russia's military leadership have led to huge losses for the Wagner Group. "We came here to stop the disgrace in the country that we live in," Prigozhin said, before adding, "We are saving Russia."

Yevgeny Prigozhin on Friday vowed to topple the Russian military leadership.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his address to the nation on Saturday, vowed to defend the country and its people from an armed rebellion declared by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

"All those who prepared the rebellion will suffer inevitable punishment. The armed forces and other government agencies have received the necessary orders," Putin said. He called Prigozhin's actions, without referring to the owner of the Wagner private military company by name, "a betrayal" and "a treason."

He urged "those who are being dragged into this crime not to make a fatal and tragic, unique mistake, to make the only right choice - to stop participating in criminal acts."

"The entire military, economic and information machine of the West is waged against us," Putin said. "This battle, when the fate of our people is being decided, requires the unification of all forces, unity, consolidation and responsibility." An armed rebellion at a time like this is "a blow to Russia, to its people," the president said. "Those who plotted and organised an armed rebellion, who raised arms against his comrades-in-arms, betrayed Russia. And they will answer for it," the Russian President said.