Prigozhin accuses Russia's military chief of ordering aircraft to fire "in the middle of civilian cars"
Commander of Russia's Aerospace Forces Sergei Surovikin attends a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Sochi, Russia, on November 3, 2021. Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik/Pool/Reuters
Sergey Surovikin, Russia’s top commander in Ukraine, urged Wagner mercenary fighters on Friday evening to "stop" and to "obey the will" of President Vladimir Putin.
"I’m addressing the leadership, commanders and fighters of Wagner. Together with you, we have traveled a difficult and hard path. We fought together, took risks, suffered losses and we won together. We are of the same blood. We are warriors. I urge you to stop, the enemy is only waiting for the internal political situation to worsen in our country," Surovikin is seen saying in a video posted to Telegram by a Russian state media reporter.
"You can’t play into the hands of the enemy in this difficult time for the country. While it is not too late, please obey the will and the orders of the Russian Federation’s president that was elected by the masses," Surovikin said. "Stop the columns, bring them back to the points of permanent dislocation and communication areas... Solve all the problems peacefully under the leadership of the Commander in Chief of Russian Federation."
Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseev, a Russian intelligence official, also posted a video criticizing Wagner's actions on Friday, saying "This is a coup d'etat."
“What is happening now is a blatant fact of insanity. I cannot explain it in other words," Alekseev said in the video.
"Our country is in the most difficult position right now," he continued. "When the whole Western world is turned against us. When the shells are coming from the whole world. Such things, that you started to fulfill now under someone's provocation idea will lead to enormous losses. First of all, enormous political losses. Imagine the enthusiasm that this will be taken with by the West."
"Only the president has the right to appoint the top leadership of the armed forces, and you are trying to encroach on his authority. This is a coup d'etat. There is no need to do this now, because there is no greater damage to the image of Russia and to its armed forces," Alekseev said.
Source: CNN
