Mercenary boss Wagner vowed on Saturday to oust Russian military leaders who accused him of attacking his men, but the country's attorney general said he was under investigation for an "armed uprising" in a rice field.
62-year-old Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a voice message: "We will continue, we will go to the end. We will destroy everything in our path." It was the boldest challenge to President Vladimir Putin since the offensive in Ukraine began last year.
Russian authorities tightened security measures in several areas after Wagner, the leader of the mercenary group, issued a warning to the country.
Law enforcement authorities are taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of residents. The governor of the Rostov region Vasily Globov said on social networks: "I ask everyone to keep calm."
What is the Wagner group?
The Wagner Group, officially known as PMC Wagner, is a Russian militia that operates outside the law in Russia. It is basically a private military company and a network of mercenaries. The group was first identified in 2014 as supporting pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine.
Since 2014, it has been a secret organization operating mainly in Africa and the Middle East. According to media reports, this group was made up of around 5,000 fighters from elite regiments and Russian special forces.
Why are the Wagner group and Russia at war?
In January of this year, Prigozhin took full responsibility for the seizure of the Soledar salt mine in Ukraine's Donetsk region, accusing the Russian Ministry of Defense of trying to steal Wagner's credit.
According to Associated Press reports, he repeatedly complained that the Russian military did not provide Wagner with enough ammunition to capture Bagmouth and withdraw his men.
A unit posing as a Ukrainian Wagner contractor has made a video accusing the Chief of the Russian General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, of failing to deliver ammunition.
He also commended Shoigu for his harsh criticism and denounced the incompetence of the Russian military leadership. His frequent complaints about Russia's tightly controlled political system are unprecedented, and only President Putin could voice such criticism.