Putin Creates Moscow Defense Forces after Prigozhin uprising - British Intelligence
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is trying to protect Moscow after the mutiny of the leader of the "Wagner" PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin.
This is stated in the report of British intelligence, Censor.NET informs.
It is noted that in November 2022, Putin approved the creation of the Security Forces of the Moscow government. This is a new organization for the protection of capital infrastructure.
Since July 2023, this structure has acquired a more paramilitary character, in particular by obtaining permission to use firearms. Probably several thousand new recruits were recruited from the planned number of 15 thousand people.
British intelligence noted that this structure is another example of the old Russian tradition of militarization - an increase in the number of armed organizations outside the forces of the Russian Armed Forces. At the same time, Moscow's security forces were most likely strengthened due to concerns about the readiness of Moscow's local security forces before the mutiny of the Wagner PMC in June 2023.
"The project also gives Moscow residents the opportunity to voluntarily fulfill their "patriotic" wartime duties while avoiding frontline service in Ukraine. The mayor of Moscow, Serhii Sobyanin, managed to limit the direct impact of the conflict on the relatively wealthy population of the capital. The majority of Russian casualties in Ukraine are from the poorest provincial regions," the British intelligence agency added.
It will be recalled that on August 23, 2023, a passenger plane crashed in the Tver region of the Russian Federation. In it was the leader of the "Wagner" PMС, the terrorist Prigozhin.
Together with Prigozhin, one of the leaders of "Wagner" Dmytro Utkin was on board the plane.
Following the fall of Prigozhin's plane, the Russian Investigative Committee initiated a case of violation of air transport operating rules.
Several telegram channels associated with PMС "Wagner" confirmed the liquidation of terrorists Prigozhin and Utkin, blaming it on "traitors of Russia".
