Why Wagner Group Rebelled Against Russian Army

The long-running feud among Russia's warlords has burst into an open revolt, after the Wagner Group, a private army of mercenaries, vowed to topple the military leadership in Moscow.

Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has lashed out at Russian military leaders saying they deceived President Vladimir Putin into launching the invasion of Ukraine.

"We are going onwards and we will go to the end," Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio message.

"We will destroy everything that stands in our way," he added.

However, Putin vowed to defend the country from an armed rebellion declared by backstabbers like Yevgeny Prigozhin.

"This is treason. All those who prepared the rebellion will suffer inevitable punishment. The armed forces and other government agencies have received the necessary orders," Putin told Russians.

Putin condemned the rebellion at a time when Russia was fighting the toughest battle for its future with its war in Ukraine.

Why Wagner Group rebelled against the Russian Army

In 2014, Wagner mercenaries helped Russia-backed separatists illegally annex the Crimean Peninsula.

After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Wagner fighters soldiers with their ruthless actions made progress in fierce battles in eastern Ukraine.

By 2023, Wagner claimed it had taken control of the Ukrainian city of Soledar, seen as one of Moscow's rare victories since the beginning of the war. He claimed full credit for capturing Soledar and accused the Russian Defence Ministry of trying to steal Wagner's glory.

Prigozhin accused military leaders of incompetence. He accused Russia's top military commanders of treason for depriving his troops of ammunition.

"I am unable to solve this problem despite all my connections and contacts," he complained, I need to apologise and obey to secure ammunition for his fighters," he added.

However, the Russian Defense Ministry has refuted Prigozhin's accusations, saying that such statements were absolutely untrue.

Prigozhin has accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and top Russian General Valery Gerasimov of ordering a rocket strike on the field camps of the Wagner group in Ukraine, where his troops are fighting on behalf of Russia.

He blamed Russian military bureaucracy for unsuccessful attempts to capture Bakhmut, which for several months has been at the center of the conflict with severe Russian and Ukrainian casualties.

How has Ukraine reacted?

Ukraine has said it is closely monitoring the feud between Prigozhin and the Russian military leadership.

"We are watching," the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence said.