Moscow braces for battle: Putin's soldiers batten down the hatches and build defences around the capital as they prepare for the arrival of Wagner militia forces - who are just HOURS away
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin on Saturday declared his 25,000-strong force is in control of Rostov-on-Don and described his soldiers as 'patriots'
Putin responded by calling his actions a 'betrayal' of Russia as he appealed for soldiers to put their weapons
Prigozhin made the move in fury at what he claimed was Moscow's attack on his men, and said he intends to march to Moscow to take on defense chiefs
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By Elizabeth Haigh and Will Stewart and Miriam Kuepper
Published: 06:58 EDT, 24 June 2023 | Updated: 11:01 EDT, 24 June 2023
Moscow is preparing for war and battening down the hatches as soldiers build outposts and military vehicles flood the streets ahead of the expected arrival of Russia's Wagner militia forces.
Wagner chief Yevgney Prigozhin initiated a military coup against Putin overnight, which has seen the group take key cities and threaten the President, who called them 'traitors'.
Putin addressed the Russian people on Saturday, warning that the military leader had 'stabbed him in the back', as Moscow prepares to enter into lockdown, with troops digging in in preparation to defend the city.
Prigozhin and his feared 25,000-strong Wagner militia took control of the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, saying they are 'ready to die' for their 'march of justice', and have been heading north in a hundreds-strong convoy of armoured vehicles.
The unit passed through the halfway city of Voronezh and have reached as far north as Yelets as they advance on Moscow, seeing negligible resistance.
A message posted on the Wagner Telegram channel on Saturday said: 'Putin made the wrong choice. All the worse for him. Soon we will have a new president.'
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12229575/Wagner-forces-head-Moscow-Prigozhin-mocks-Putin-call-traitors-up.html