Polish PM consults with EU Council chief over Russia situation
Poland's prime minister has been conducting further consultations over the emerging situation in Russia and has talked with EU Council President Charles Michel among others, the government spokesman announced on Saturday.
On Friday, the leader of the Wagner mercenary group which has worked with Russian forces in their occupation of Ukraine, said regular Russian forces had attacked a mercenary camp causing multiple fatalities. Yevgeny Prigozhin went on to say he intended to "restore justice" in the armed forces and warned against opposing him.
Prigozhin announced on Saturday morning that he was at the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don where he was expecting Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov. He warned that if they did not come, Wagner forces would march on Moscow. The Reuters news agency also reported that Wagner personnel had taken control of military facilities in Voronezh, southwestern Russia.
Polish government spokesman Piotr Mueller wrote on Twitter on Saturday morning: "Polish (security) services are constantly monitoring the situation in Russia together with (Poland's) allies. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has spoken on the matter today with President Andrzej Duda. There have also been government consultation with the participation of (deputy prime minister and ruling party leader Jaroslaw - PAP) J. Kaczynski and the ministers of defence and interior."
In the afternoon, Mueller announced further consultations, writing: "Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki is conducting further consultations on the matter of the current situation in Russia. He spoke today among others with the head of the European Council, Charles Michel."
The BBC cited a UK Ministry of Defence update on the situation in Russia as saying that Wagner units were "moving north through Vorenezh Oblast, almost certainly aiming to get to Moscow," and describing the apparent mutiny as "the most significant challenge to the Russian state in recent times."
The update also described the situation as escalating into an "outright military confrontation". (PAP)
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