After a night of confusion and chaos, the commander of Wagner’s group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced that he was at the headquarters of the Russian army in Rostov-on-Don, saying that his fighters controlled Russian military facilities in the city. .

This area is extremely important from a strategic point of view for Moscow, and the crisis could have far-reaching consequences for the conflict in Ukraine, writes The Guardian.

Rostov-on-Don is the largest city in southern Russia and the capital of Rostov Oblast, which borders the war-torn parts of eastern Ukraine.

The city, located 100 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, is home to Russia’s Southern Military Command, whose 58th Army is fighting Kyiv’s counteroffensive in southern Ukraine.

Rostov is also home to the command center of the Russian joint forces in Ukraine as a whole, making it a critical logistics center for the Russian military.

The Institute for the Study of War says any threat to Russia’s military presence there could have implications for critical aspects of the war.

Although he claims to control military facilities in Rostov, Prigozhin said his operation would not interfere with Russia’s military efforts.

In a statement on Saturday morning, Prigozhin said his fighter jets were in control of the airport, but the planes involved in the offensive against Ukraine were “flying normally” from the runways.

“We took control of the airport so that the aircraft would not attack us, but the Ukrainians,” Prigozhin said.

In another video, Prigozhin is seen telling the military that his mercenaries “will not interfere with the command of their troops,” but their orders are causing huge casualties in Ukraine.

“We came here to stop the disgrace in the country we live in,” Prigozhin said, adding, “We are saving Russia.”