RUSSIA ON HIGH ALERT

Moscow: The Russian government has launched a major security operation in several cities as of early June 24 in response to an alleged threat from the PMC Wagner Group forces led by businessman Yevgeniy Prigozhin.

EU countries bordering Russia were on alert Saturday, with some beefing up their border security, after the Wagner paramilitary group seized control of a strategic Russian city and threatened to move on Moscow. The insurrection by the mercenary group came after its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin declared war on Moscow’s defense ministry in the early hours of Saturday morning, claiming Kremlin officials had killed thousands of his soldiers. The head of the Wagner group vowed to topple the Russian military leadership, whom he accused of launching strikes on his men, while the country’s prosecutor general said he was under investigation for “armed rebellion”.