A faction of Russian militants who are aligned with the Ukrainian forces has issued an appeal to the Wagner Group of mercenaries, urging them to defect and join their ranks in retaliation for the deaths of Wagner’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and their commander, Dmitry Utkin.
Russian aviation authorities have confirmed that Prigozhin, Utkin, and eight other individuals were aboard a private aircraft that tragically crashed without survivors to the north of Moscow on Wednesday.
In a video message released late on Thursday, Denis Kapustin, the leader of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RVC), conveyed a weighty decision to the Wagner Group. “A significant choice now stands before you – either you remain as overseers under the Russian defence ministry, watching over the directives of your commanders, or you seek retribution,” Kapustin articulated.
“To exact vengeance, you must align with the Ukrainian side,” the commander asserted.
The crash occurred precisely two months after Prigozhin and his Wagner mercenaries orchestrated a rebellion against Russian military leaders, which led to their seizure of Rostov, a southern city. They advanced towards Moscow before halting their progress 200 kilometres away from the capital.
Though Russia has initiated an investigation into the crash, it is improbable that its findings will challenge the widespread belief that Prigozhin was targeted as an act of reprisal for orchestrating the mutiny.
Earlier on Thursday, Reuters cited two U.S. officials who suggested that a surface-to-air missile may have downed the plane. However, the Pentagon later clarified that it lacked evidence to substantiate this claim.
After a period of 24 hours of silence, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his “heartfelt condolences” to the families of all ten individuals aboard the ill-fated plane. He also lauded Prigozhin as a “skilled entrepreneur.”
Denis Kapustin, commander of the RVC and a far-right Russian nationalist, founded this armed faction a year ago. Operating on the side of Ukraine, the RVC has asserted responsibility for several military assaults in the border regions of Russia.
“In ending the harrowing cycle of the specialised military operation, we will advance beyond the grisly battleground,” Kapustin declared in his message to Wagner fighters, using the official Russian term for the Ukrainian conflict.
He continued, “Following that, we will march towards Moscow, and this time, our advance will not stall 200 kilometres prior to the Moscow ring road; instead, we will proceed until our journey concludes.”
