On Saturday, the Russian paramilitary troops led by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin announced that their force had taken control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don, a city located in Southern Russia, and are marching towards Moscow to overthrow the Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu, whom Prigozhin accused of ordering a rocket attack on Wagner fighters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called the armed rebellion by the mercenary chief a “stab in the back” and vowed to punish those involved in the rebellion in a televised address. Putin adds that the uprising by the mercenary group is an “armed mutiny” and a “treason.” The Kremlin says Putin is being briefed on the situation constantly.
In response, Wagner mercenary leader Prigozhin rejected the accusation and called his actions a “march of justice.” Moscow authorities have declared a counterterrorism state of emergency, a move that puts FSB, Russia's top security agency in charge of responding to the uprising.