Russian security services on Friday called on fighters from the private military company Wagner to arrest its head, Yevgeny Prigozhin, accusing him of trying to provoke a “civil war” by ordering his men to rebel against military rule.

“The accusations spread on behalf of Yevgeny Prigozhin have no basis. In connection with them, the FSB began conducting an investigation into inciting armed insurrection,” Russia’s national anti-terrorist commission said in a press release carried by Russian news agencies.

The FSB called on Wagner’s mercenaries to arrest their leader, to disobey his “criminal and treasonous orders” intended to incite “civil war”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is “aware of all the developments surrounding Prigozhin. Necessary measures are being taken,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying by Russia’s TASS news agency.

The head of Wagner said that strikes by the Russian army caused “a very large number of casualties” among the ranks of his company’s fighters. “They carried out strikes, missile strikes, against our camps. A very large number of our fighters were killed,” Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio message.

He explained that he will “respond” to these attacks which, according to him, were ordered by the Russian Ministry of Defense, emphasizing that he is not in favor of a “military coup”, but wants a “march for justice”.

“Provocation”

The accusations “about the alleged ‘strikes by the Russian Ministry of Defense against bases in the rear of the Wagner paramilitary group’ do not correspond to reality and are provocations,” the Russian Defense Ministry countered in a statement.

An influential Russian general, Sergei Surovikin, called Wagner’s fighters back to their barracks.

“I address the warriors and the leaders of the Wagner group (…) We have the same blood, we are warriors. I ask you to stop (…) Before it is too late, you must obey the will and orders of the elected president of Russia,” General Surovikin stressed in a video posted on the Telegram platform.

This open war brings to the surface the deep tensions in the ranks of the Russian forces involved in the war in Ukraine.

Yevgeny Prigozhin said that the “Committee of the Wagner group’s administrations decided” that they must “stop” those who command the Russian army, declaring that there should be no “resistance” to his men because “anyone who tries to stop us will be considered threat and we will kill him immediately,” emphasizing that he wants to “stop” Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

He said he had “25,000” fighters at his disposal and called on the Russians to “join” them. “We are 25,000 and we will make it clear why there is chaos in the country (…) Our strategic reserves are the entire army and the entire country,” said the head of Wagner, calling for “an end to the anarchy.”

Contradictions

The Ukrainian army said it was “monitoring” the developments. The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service, Kirill Budanov, said that rival Russian factions had begun to “devour each other for power and money.”

The Russian army has retreated in many areas of southern and eastern Ukraine, Wagner’s chief said earlier yesterday, contradicting Kremlin statements that Kiev’s counteroffensive had failed.

“THE [ρωσικός] army retreats to the regions of Zaporizhia and Kherson [νότια]the Russian armed forces are pushing,” Yevgeny Prigozhin said.

“The same thing is happening in Bakhmut, the enemy is penetrating deeper and deeper into our defenses,” added the businessman, referring to the city that the Russians say they have taken after months of fighting, but where the Ukrainians say they have been flanking and advancing in recent weeks.

“There is no control, no military successes” by Moscow, Mr Prigozhin said, adding that Russian soldiers were “bathing in their own blood”, apparently meaning Russian forces were suffering heavy casualties.

The statements of the head of Wagner, which are impossible to confirm in an independent way, completely contradict the announcements of President Putin and Defense Minister Shoigu, according to which the Russian army is “repelling” all Ukrainian attacks on the front line.

Mr Putin has repeatedly said in recent days that the Ukrainian counter-offensive was a failure and that Kiev’s forces were suffering near “catastrophic” losses. On Thursday, Mr Shoigu said the Ukrainian army was “regrouping” after failing to break through Russian defences.

Mr. Prigozhin calls the announcements of the Russian Ministry of Defense a “fraud”, he accuses it of “hiding” the difficulties and losses of the Russian forces on the battlefields.

While dissidents and even anonymous Russians are in jail for criticizing the war in Ukraine, Wagner’s chief yesterday questioned why what the Kremlin has dubbed a “special military operation” was launched.

“The war was necessary for some bastards who wanted to promote themselves”, and the “oligarchs” who “needed it” and intended to share the spoils, while Kiev was, according to him, “ready to accept any agreement”.