Wagner chief Prigozhin appears in videos at a Russian military headquarters

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner group of mercenaries, claimed to be in control of some buildings that constitute the military command in southern Russia in the city of Rostov-on-Don. Video verified by The New York Times shows he had entered the facilities on Saturday morning.

In the videos, Mr. Prigozhin can be seen in the company of dozens of gunmen in the courtyard of the headquarters of the Southern Military District, a key strategic command center in Russia’s war against Ukraine. Mr Prigozhin said his troops would blockade the city and head for Moscow unless top Russian officials met them. Russian military and government officials did not immediately comment. It was not clear how much of the compound the Wagner forces controlled.

Additional videos circulating online and verified by The Times show dozens of soldiers stepping out of military vehicles and aiming their guns at the compound. The videos were released hours after Mr Prigozhin claimed Russia attacked his troops in Ukraine and said he would bring a column of troops into Russia in retaliation.

Mr Prigozhin on Friday accused the Russian army of attacking his mercenaries, escalating a long-running feud with the Russian army over the war in Ukraine. The Russian Prosecutor General announced hours later that Mr Prigozhin was under investigation “on suspicion of organizing an armed uprising”.

Since then, the scene that plays out in this city of more than a million has been tense and opaque; videos shared on Telegram show tanks driving through the streets, soldiers jumping off trucks and soldiers surrounding the headquarters. The soldiers are generally believed to be Wagner troops.

The Southern Military District is the smallest of Russia’s four regional military authorities, but it played a vital role in the war. Units belonging to the command have fought in Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk oblasts.

Adding to the confusion emanating from Rostov-on-Don, civilian spectators appear unusually calm next to the military display of force. Videos circulating online show some people smoking and drinking beer, and a street sweeper continuing to sweep litter.