Some folks are claiming that's all Russian MoD troops.
I'm quite certain that they're wrong, on both counts.
If any of them were MoD they wouldn't be pointing their guns at the MoD's own HQ building.
Red Z's and Duct Tape armbands are Wagner and friends.
All else are OMON, local police, and people who either really don't want to be there or have no fucking clue what's going on.
Of the 3 tanks seen in the above video 2 are T-80's that appear to be from a Siberian unit (still working on an ID here), the 3rd is a T-90 from an unknown unit (still working ID for that one as well).
Some of the trucks in this and other Rostov related videos have LPR license tags, indicating that they either used to belong to Luhansk (2nd Corp) or some of the former LPR forces have joined Wagner.
Not a peep out of Russian ABN or Naval Infantry yet
...
There isn't any question that while the Chef was making his demands in Rostov his forces were and are still moving north on the highway to Moscow.
Seeing a video reported as a Wagner column in the Voronezh region heading north towards Moscow.
If that's really Wagner they bypassed Millerovo and are making very good time.
If it's not Wagner than Russian army units are being recalled to Moscow.
If that really is a Wagner column in or near Voronezh than they've already moved north past and behind every single Russian unit inside of Ukraine.
If help for Putin is to come from units inside of Ukraine they're already too late.
Confirmed that Wagner is at or has passed Losevo, 70 miles south of Voronezh.
Still outflanked the Russian army in Ukraine and still making very good time.
Russian MoD released a statement before Putin speaks...
You can smell the fear through the screen.
Well, I can.
Russian Air Force Telegram confirms that Wagner did shoot down three Russian helicopters.
Two Mi-8 transports and one Mi-35 gunship.
Mi-8's are the rough equal to the old US Huey's. They can be heavily armed.
Mi-35 is a highly upgraded version of the mi-24 Hind gunship.
Wagner Group claims to have taken control of military facilities in Voronezh. Not confirmed, but seems highly likely.
There are zero Russian combat troops between Wagner and Moscow.
All public events in Moscow have been cancelled.
Putin is late for his resignation speech.
Not resigning just yet I see.
Bold move by Putin to call Wagner's bluff when they have an army six hours away and rolling hard for him.
And the whole world can see his hand and knows that he's only got a bunch of parade soldiers and unwilling cops to defend the city.
Reports that Russian police have raided Wagner headquarters in St Petersburg.
That seems both overdue and not particularly helpful to Putin at the moment.
Full speech translation here
https://twitter.com/wartranslated/status/1672507753762287616
Yeah, that's fear. Even got in the old nazi "stab in the back" theme as he called other people nazis.
"The Armed Forces and other departments were properly instructed. Extra KTO measures are now being implemented in Moscow, Moscow region, a number of other regions."
LOfuckingL!
Harsh words incoming.
Russian National Guard setting up checkpoints south of Moscow.
That's not going to stop tanks driven by angry combat veterans...
@Render is Putin about to speak?
@SGT_B_DUB Looks like.
This'll be fun.
@Render @SGT_B_DUB will we be able to see it
I'm certain that we'll see it, if not live and direct than very soon after its recorded.
Putin needs the world, not just Russians, to see that he's still in charge and that everything about the 3 day Special Military Operation to take Kyiv is still going according to plan.
@Render @SGT_B_DUB makes sense
@Render
The metric that matters is how many Russian forces join Wagner as they march towards Moscow.
This could be great for Ukr and REALLY bad for everyone else. I just hope the Pentagon has plans to secure the nukes in this scenario.
@Render
Tempo, tempo, tempo
@Render So we've gone from "Kyiv will fall in 3 days" to "Moscow will fall within 3 days"? - Wow.
@Render
If there is a wave of social media support for Wagner, they will build sufficient support ro take Moscow. Until I see that it's just a group of mercenaries truckin' to the depths of hell. 25k soldiers is alot but not enough.
@jurban It's more than just Wagner. The tanks that are with them do not belong to them.
@Render
That's a significant trend. If this ignites an underlying potential, the outcome can be catastrophic for Russia.
150 years after my great grandfather was conscripted by those fuckers, I might finally be seeing retribution for my family.
@Render: Yes, the Soviets are renowned for the forgiving, tender nature.
@Render youโre not alone.
Get to the mic already Putin, some of us need to sleep!
@Render Opposite day already in Russia
appealing to the soldiers that were not getting supplies ๐
@Kinnison Or paid.
@Render I kind of doubt anyone will believe that safety line.
@Render assuming any troops that might pull from Ukraine would half to battle North thru the towns he is taking and securing...
@Render that's a bad rear move
@Render How much resistance are they facing?
@_Ms_J It appears as though traffic is the only thing slowing them up.
And traffic doesn't work against tanks.
@Render Are you reading anything into that or waiting?
@_Ms_J I'm enjoying the hell out of the Wagner tour of western Russia.
Best concert of the year.
@Render I guess it's time to play "I wonder which monster will get to be in charge of Russia and its nuclear weapons." Hooray. : /
@Render thinking Russian soldiers in Ukraine might want to surrender stay put and wait it out!!!
@Render This is the worst episode of "24" ever!
@Render Well, no room for Wagner or its leadership to maneuver, this will be bloody
@Render So, I was wrong- there was room to maneuver ๐ . Just some more rampant speculation but maybe a soft coup did occur. I don't think Putin is in charge and a power sharing agreement happened between parties that are with Prigozhin. Putin must be really ill and they are letting him live out his "term" until the end. Again, rampant speculation which is fun๐
@Render ....... still waiting for the press conference.
@Render get some rest eat something good take care thank u for the brilliant work tonight..
@Render so where do the most hated man go?
@ContentTBA Venezuela, Cuba, maybe China (but probably not).
@Render you know he's got some connections in Africa but south America probably best bet.
Or Maga-Lardo with his people?
Or Venezuela with Bolsanaro?
China is a possibility.
@Render One wonders where he will find troops...
@Render it's the strangest backdoor battle plan ever.
@ContentTBA Historically and traditionally the successful way to capture Moscow has been from the south or the east.
Nobody who has tried has captured Moscow from the west.
@Render I was in Finland before the Pandemic and realized how close Moscow was, and learned about their fight with the old Soviet Union. So you are right on that tactical move.
@Render a bit late that
surly they woulda all scampered by now, those that were there, and taken almost everything with them
assumed that woulda been done
@Render It's like Russia is intentionally making the worst possible strategic choices.
@Render So Moscow has 6 hours if the precautions mirror the previous ones...
@AnneW Or less.
@Render I vote for less... ๐
@Render tryin to scare ordinary civilians
also note he said "war" not special operation
the man is slipping
@Render So is Russian national guard a white Z and Wagner a red Z?
Wagner claims to have shot down 3 helicopter gunships now.
The latest one is confirmed (wreckage visible) outside of Losevo.
And that column is still rolling north.
Whatever it is that Putin has to say it better be good, and it better be quick because the rate that Wagner is moving they're going to be on the outskirts of Moscow in about 6 or 7 hours.