There are 2 versions regarding Prigozhin's coup - SBU reserve colonel Prytula

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"There are two versions regarding Prigozhin's coup. The first version is that Wagner mercenaries were not paid and they went to get their money out of the Kremlin. They were paid off and returned. The second version is that the coup was directed against Shoigu and Putin," Prytula said.

The military expert also added that Prigozhin's march on Moscow was a planned operation by the Russian special services, which are dissatisfied with Shoigu's actions.

"Prigozhin brought to light a person who was in the shadows - the Russian Deputy Defense Minister, who actually led the war from Rostov. It is clear that this was not a coup, but a planned operation by the Russian special services, who are unhappy that Shoigu has too much power and resources, which he uses ineptly to destroy Russia. The coup was directed against Shoigu and Putin. As we can see, Prigozhin was forgiven, and Shoigu will be removed from power. He will be replaced by a person who is close to Prigozhin. That is, the coup did actually take place - it was a conspiracy of the elites of Russia's special services," Prytula emphasized.

Prigozhin's coup in Russia

For several months, there has been a conflict between Yevgeny Prigozhin, the financier of Wagner PMC, and the Russian Ministry of Defense. However, the situation escalated quickly on the evening of June 23.

Allegedly, Russian troops launched a missile attack on the Wagner base. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner PMC, announced a "march of justice" and stated that 25,000 mercenaries were heading to Moscow after the Russian leadership refused to hand over Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

On Saturday, June 24, in addition to Rostov-on-Don, where they initially gathered around the headquarters of the Southern Military District, the Wagner group also took control of Voronezh. Their convoys, which had diverted from the Ukrainian border, were moving towards Moscow. Military aircraft and artillery under Shoigu's control attempted to stop them. The units of Wagner PMC were last spotted in the Lipetsk region. In Moscow itself, defensive positions were established, trenches were dug, and all security forces were mobilized.

However, on the evening of June 24, the press service of the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, released a statement in which the head of the Wagner PMC stated that he was ready to stop the advance of his mercenaries' military convoys, which were already approaching Moscow, and to reach an agreement with the Kremlin. Prigozhin allegedly agreed on this during a conversation with Lukashenko.

Instead, Prigozhin announced that the Wagner group had stopped their advance and returned to their field camps before reaching 200 km from Moscow. He stated, "In a day, we traveled without reaching 200 km to Moscow. During this time, no blood was shed. However, the moment may come when blood will be spilled. Therefore, taking full responsibility, we are turning our columns around and heading back to the field camps as planned."

Subsequently, Prigozhin and all his fighters left the headquarters of Russia's Southern Military District. Russian leader Vladimir Putin promised that Prigozhin would be able to go to Belarus, and Russia would close the criminal case against him.