The day after the withdrawal of fighters from the paramilitary group Wagner from Rostov, a city in southwestern Russia partially controlled by rebel fighters on Saturday, Rina Abramian said she was “relieved”.
“When the routine in your town changes and you don’t really understand what’s going on, you feel very anxious and in danger,” said the 28-year-old doctor, a small crucifix around her neck.
The sudden arrival on Saturday of Wagner’s fighters in Rostov, a strategic city of more than a million inhabitants, took the population by surprise.
All day, masked-faced Wagner men patrolled Rostov as masters of the scene, assault rifles slung over their shoulders, while their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, took up residence at the army headquarters he said he had. taken “without firing a shot”.
On Saturday evening, as columns of Wagner tanks advanced towards Moscow, the Kremlin and Mr. Prigozhin abruptly announced the end of the rebellion after mediation by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
On Sunday, the tracks of caterpillars left by Wagner’s tanks are still visible on the streets of Rostov. In a park, a blue banner proclaims: “Brothers, let’s prevent a bloodbath, no one is anyone’s enemy here, victory is only possible together!”
The inhabitants, many of whom remained cloistered at home on Saturday at the call of the local authorities, are now enjoying the sun by strolling in the wooded alleys.
Sitting on a bench, Tatiana, a 76-year-old retired teacher who does not want to give her last name, testified that she was “very upset” when she learned of Wagner’s uprising.
“I spent the whole day (Saturday) at home (…). I followed the news all day and I was really worried. So I’m happy that everything ended well”, adds she.
Dmitri Filianin, a 35-year-old psychologist with a trimmed beard, says he is also relieved, but he also has a lot of questions.
“The misunderstanding remains. Why was this done? Who is behind all this?” “So there is still some confusion, but it has become calmer.”
If the inhabitants say they were surprised by the arrival of Wagner and are numerous to say they are relieved after the departure of the mercenaries, some do not hide their support for the fighters of this group which took part in the offensive of Moscow in Ukraine, notably at the now famous battle of Bakhmout, a city in eastern Ukraine devastated by months of fighting.
When they began their withdrawal from Rostov on Saturday evening, Wagner’s fighters were cheered on by dozens of people in the street.
“Thank you!”, “Wagner! Wagner!”, chanted residents, while the boss of the group, Evguéni Prigojine, like a rock star, shook hands out of the window of his 4×4 assaulted by young people who drove him. cheered while filming it.
Boris Koudriavtsev, a retired taxi driver, does not hide his “respect” for the members of Wagner. “I understand them a little,” he continues, while believing that they should have settled their dispute with the Russian army differently.
“It’s not right. They came with guns, it could have been much worse,” he said.
For months, Mr. Prigojine has attacked the Minister of Defense and the Chief of the Army Staff, whom he accuses of incompetence, echoing the frustration of a part of the Russian population in the face of the difficulties of the offensive in Ukraine.
For Anton, 33, the Wagner Group acted “correctly” because “they stand for what is right and that is the right thing to do”.
“These guys have done a lot for our country,” he adds.
06/25/2023 17:24:24 – Rostov-on-Don (Russia) (AFP) – © 2023 AFP
