The governor of the Rostov region of Russia, which borders Ukraine, asked residents to stay at home. Russian military equipment was spotted on the streets of Rostov-on-Don, as well as in Moscow, where security measures were stepped up after Wagner’s head, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said his troops had entered Russia, the BBC reported. Images on social media show Wagner’s troops surrounding a government building in Rostov-on-Don. The mayor of Moscow said that anti-terrorist measures are being taken to strengthen security in the Russian capital. The M4 highway was blocked at the border of the Lypetsk and Voronezh regions, the governor of the Lypetsk region reports. The head of the “Wagner” PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin says that his troops attacked helicopters on the track and threatens to destroy everything around.

The founder of Wagner’s mercenary group accused the Russian command on Friday of carrying out deadly attacks on his militant camps, while the Russian army denied bombing the paramilitary group’s positions, AFP and Reuters reported. The head of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, Prigozhin called for an uprising against the Russian high command, claimed to have 25,000 men and called on Russians, especially soldiers, to join them.

08:47 Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak on state television, reports TASS, citing Reuters.

08:39 In a video released on Saturday, Prigozhin asked Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russian General Valery Gerasimov to come and meet with him in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, Reuters reported.

In a video published on social networks by his own press service, Prigozhin said that he is currently at the headquarters of the Southern Military District, which is located in Rostov-on-Don.

In another video posted by the pro-Wagner Telegram channel Razgruzka Wagner, he is seated between two high-ranking generals, one of whom was Army Lt. Gen. Volodymyr Alekseev, who had previously posted a video urging Prigozhin to reconsider his decisions. his stated approach to removing management.

“We came here to receive the chief of the General Staff and Shoigu,” Prigozhin said in the video. “If they don’t come, we will be here, blocking the city of Rostov and heading to Moscow.” “

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The M4 highway connects Moscow with regions in the south, including Rostov with its capital Rostov-on-Don, where the armed attackers were spotted.

Moscow Mayor Serhiy Sobyanin wrote in Telegram: “In connection with the receipt of information, anti-terrorist measures are being taken in Moscow to strengthen security measures,” the BBC reports.

“Additional control on the roads has been introduced. Public events may be limited. We ask you to treat these measures with understanding,” he said.

Vasyl Golubev wrote in Telegram: “The current situation requires maximum concentration of forces to maintain order.”

“Law enforcement agencies are doing everything necessary to ensure the safety of the residents of the district. I ask everyone to remain calm and not to leave the house if it is not necessary,” he said.

The head of the “Wagner” PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, previously stated without providing any evidence that his forces had moved from Ukraine, where they fought, to Russia.

Russian military equipment was deployed on the streets of the city of Rostov-on-Don, about 100 kilometers east of the border with Ukraine. The BBC also showed footage of heightened security measures in Moscow, with armored vehicles patrolling the streets.

Images posted on Telegram show Wagner’s troops surrounding a government building in Rostov-on-Don.

The footage, which has not been verified by the BBC, shows people in uniform walking around the local interior ministry building, which is surrounded by armored vehicles, including two tanks with machine guns pointed at them.

For his part, the governor of the Lipetsk region of Russia asked residents not to travel to the south due to increased security measures in Russia.

Lipetsk is located approximately 280 kilometers northeast of the nearest border with Ukraine and more than 500 kilometers north of Rostov.

Ihor Artamonov wrote in Telegram that security measures are being strengthened in the region with an emphasis on protecting critical infrastructure.