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Russian president Vladimir Putin has called Wagner chief Yvegney Prigozhin’s military coup an ‘armed mutiny’.
Prigozhin and his 25,000 mercenary soldiers have reportedly control of the city of Rostov-on-Don in Russia as armoured vehicles are pictured on the streets.
He claims they want revenge for a strike from Putin’s forces which killed some of his men.
The Russian president is now scrambling to reassert his authority and tell the nation in a TV address the ‘mutinous’ mercenary group will be ‘discarded’.
He said: ‘Everything has to be discarded that weakens us. This is a criminal adventuristic campaign. It is equivalent to armed mutiny.
‘It is an attempt to subvert us from inside. This is treason.
‘We are fighting against anarchy and capitulation. This internal mutiny is a mortal blow to us.’
Putin also accused his former comrade of ‘stabbing him in the back’ and ‘betraying the Russian people’.
Wagner soldiers have been seen in armoured vehicles in Rostov-on-Don (Picture: Reuters)
Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an emergency televised address calling Wagner’s coup ‘treason’ (Picture: Reuters)
He added: ‘Anything that can be used and is being used to subvert us from within and therefore any actions that split us is a betrayal of your people, betrayal of the comrades that fighting on the frontline.
‘A knife in the back of our people.’
It comes after Prigozhin issued a message at 7.30am saying his men have infiltrated the Southern Defence Command in Rostov-on-Don and the city’s airfield was under his control.
In a warning to citizens, the city’s governor Vasily Golubev, wrote on Telegram: ‘The current situation requires the maximum concentration of all forces to maintain order.
Yevgeny Prigozhin Prigozhin speaking inside the headquarters of the Russian southern military district in the city of Rostov-on-Don (Picture: Telegram/ @concordgroup_official/AFP)
‘Law enforcement agencies are doing everything necessary to ensure the safety of residents of the area.
‘I ask everyone to stay calm and do not leave the house without the need.’
Security been stepped up in Moscow, with anti-terrorism measures being employed to reinforce order in the city.
The Mayor of Moscow, Sergey Sobyanin, wrote on Telegram: ‘In connection with the incoming information, anti-terrorist measures are being taken in Moscow aimed at strengthening security measures.
‘Additional control on the roads has been introduced.
‘It is possible to limit the holding of public events. Please consider the measures taken with understanding.’
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‘This is a criminal adventuristic campaign. It is equivalent to armed mutiny.’