Terrorism alert in Moscow remains despite Wagner pullback

The authorities in the Russian capital are curbing movements

Red Square in Moscow remains closed with some blockades still in place. Reuters

Tight security arrangements remained in place in Moscow a day after Wagner mercenaries threatened to storm the Russian capital.

An “anti-terrorist operation regime” was still in force as the Kremlin announced Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin would be sent to Belarus after mediation by the country’s leader Alexander Lukashenko.

As Prigozhin's forces appeared to advance on the capital, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin had announced “anti-terrorist” measures, with critical facilities under “reinforced protection”.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin had warned of the risk of civil war and called the Wagner mutiny “treason”, while Moscow advised locals to stay off the streets.

However, the situation was de-escalated after Wagner forces pulled back from Moscow. Prigozhin's whereabouts remain unknown, but Moscow said the “armed rebellion” charges against him will be dropped and his fighters will not be prosecuted.

Security remains tight in Moscow with authorities stating that offices and workplaces will remain closed on Monday in a bid to curb movement around the city.

Elsewhere in Russia however the situation appeared to be returning to normality.

In the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, where Wagner fighters left late on Saturday after taking the main army HQ, normal traffic resumed. Russian state media showed footage of workers clearing the streets outside the military headquarters and outside the local circus gates, where a tank got stuck the day before.

Authorities in the Kaluga region, south of Moscow, said they were starting to lift road restrictions that had been introduced on Saturday to stop the Wagner rebellion.

Wagner group soldiers preparing to leave the city of Rostov-on-Don

Chechen special forces deployed to Russia's Rostov region to resist an advance by the Wagner mercenary group were also withdrawing on Sunday according to the TASS news agency.

‘Akhmat’ special forces were “returning to where they were fighting previously” commander Apty Alaudinov was quoted as saying by the news agency.

In the southern city of Voronezh, where the army said it was leading “combat” a day earlier, emergency services extinguished a huge fire at an oil depot that burned during the mutiny.

Authorities had not explained the cause of the fire, with images on social media showing a large black cloud of smoke. Some Russian media had reported there was a helicopter nearby before an explosion in the area.