“Anti-terrorist activities” are conducted in Moscowthe mayor of the Russian capital, Sergei Sobyanin, said this morning, after the Wagner paramilitary organization announced that it was rebelling against the general staff of the Russian armed forces.

“According to the information coming to us, anti-terrorist activities are underway in Moscow with the aim of strengthening security measures,” Sobyanin said in a message on the Telegram messaging app.

Its regional administration Voronezh today called on residents to avoid the M-4 highway, which connects the capital Moscow with regions of southern Russia that border Ukraine, because of an army convoy, hours after the mutiny of the head of the Russian private military company Wagner. who declared that he would expel the leadership of the general staff.

The regional government assured via Telegram that the situation is under control and measures are being taken for the safety of the citizens.

The regional governor at Rostov of Russia (south), which neighbors Ukraine, called on residents in the early hours of today to keep calm and “stay at home” as the head of Russia’s private military company Wagner, who rebelled against Gen. headquarters, reported that his men had now arrived there.

“Law enforcement agencies are doing everything necessary to guarantee the safety of local residents. I ask everyone to remain calm and not leave their homes unless absolutely necessary,” regional governor Vasily Golubev said via the Telegram platform shortly before 04:00 [τοπική ώρα και ώρα Ελλάδας].

Yevgeny Prigozhin reported that his forces crossed from Ukraine to Russian territory, in the Rostov region. Governor Golubev did not clarify whether indeed Mr. Prigozhin and his mercenaries are in Rostov.

“Security measures have been strengthened in Moscow, the most important facilities are under increased guard,” as well as “state organs and transport infrastructure,” Russian state news agency TASS reported earlier.
Russia’s state-run TASS news agency reported Friday night that heightened security measures were being taken in Moscow after the head of Russian private company Wagner called on his men to rebel against Russian military command.

“Security measures have been strengthened in Moscow, the most important facilities are under increased guard,” as well as “state organs and transport infrastructure,” TASS reported, citing an unnamed Russian law enforcement official.

He did not give details of the measures. State television, which broadcast an emergency news report, did not mention them.

Footage circulating on social networking sites and digital media, the authenticity of which has not yet been verified, shows military vehicles driving around the Russian capital, in the areas where the defense ministry and the lower house, the State Duma, are located, a few tens of meters from the Kremlin.

State television in its emergency bulletin limited itself to broadcasting the statements of the authorities condemning the statements of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the mercenary company Wagner, who earlier accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of ordering an attack on bases of his men, resulting in “many” are killed.

Russia’s main public television anchor Ekaterina Andreeva has described as “staged” a video showing the aftermath of the bombing of the Wagner base circulating online.