Behind the accusation of "armed rebellion": Where did the rift between Wagner and the Russian military come from?

  "During the battle (referring to special military operations), any grievances should be put aside, and now the fate of the Russian nation is facing a choice." Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed in a televised speech on the 24th that the Russian armed forces have received the necessary orders to eliminate those who organized armed riots.

  The day before, the Russian Federal Security Service announced that it had initiated a criminal investigation against Prigozhin, the founder of the Russian private armed "Wagner" mercenary group, on the grounds that Prigozhin "called for an armed rebellion". Subsequently, the Russian General Prosecutor’s Office also said that Prigozhin had been prosecuted for armed rebellion, which could be sentenced to 12 to 20 years’ imprisonment.

  Prigozhin denied that his action was a "military coup" and called it a "just war", and refuted Putin’s accusation of "treason", saying that their purpose was to save Russia from corruption and other phenomena. Earlier, news spread on social networks in the name of Prigozhin accused Russian Defense Ministry troops of attacking Wagner’s mercenary camp, saying that Wagner soldiers suffered "great losses" and promised to respond. The Russian Defense Ministry denied these accusations, calling them untrue and an "information provocation".

  At present, the Russian capital Moscow and other places have stepped up their vigilance and are strengthening their anti-terrorism measures. On the other hand, Wagner mercenaries announced their entry into Rostov region in southern Russia on the 24th, and entered Voronezh region in southern Russia on the same day, claiming to control a number of military facilities in the region. The British "Guardian" pointed out that the situation in Rostov, the southern part of Russia, is in jeopardy, and the turmoil in an area of strategic significance to Moscow may have a far-reaching impact on the Ukrainian crisis.

  In fact, since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Wagner mercenary group has been fighting side by side with the Russian army on the battlefield in Ukraine, and is regarded as a key force of the Russian army on the battlefield. Why did the founder of Wagner choose to stab the Russian army in the back at this time? Where did the rift between Wagner and the Russian army come from?

  From Putin’s Chef to Wagner’s Founder

  Wagner Group calls itself a "private military company", while more countries call it a mercenary organization. Its business covers operational staff, military consultants, training guidance, intelligence reconnaissance and so on. The organization is controlled by Russian oligarch yevgeny Prigozhin, who is the owner of a luxury restaurant in Russia. As a catering service contractor with close ties with many Russian political and military units, he once hosted a Russian state banquet, so he was called "Putin’s chef".

  Wagner Group opened its new headquarters in St. Peter’s, Russia last November, and it first entered the public eye in 2014. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), in 2014, Wagner supported the pro-Russian forces in eastern Ukraine and participated in Russia’s actions in Crimea.

  In the west, Wagner has direct contact with the Russian government and should be regarded as an agency, but the Russian government denies Wagner’s participation in official military operations. According to the Reference News, on the surface, Wagner has no direct relationship with the Russian regular army and has not been officially registered, but has participated in Russian military operations in Syria and Ukraine. According to the British military intelligence department, Wagner was the backbone of the war between Soledad and Bachmut.

  Before the outbreak of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Wagner also operated in southeastern Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Central African Republic, Mali and Mozambique. According to previous reports, Wagner armed forces have the most advanced weapons and their own artillery. Most of its original members are veterans, and some even participated in the war in Afghanistan. They are well-trained and can perform the most complicated tasks, and are known for their efficient and fast actions.

  Prigozhin once claimed on the social platform Telegram that Wagner’s actions in Africa were "honest and fair" and only aimed at "defending African people, including those oppressed by bandits, terrorists and others". However, Gomoti, director of Sadeq Institute, a Libyan think tank, pointed out in an interview with the media that the intervention of Wagner Group in Libya led to the division and paralysis of the whole country.

  Wagner is famous for his fierce fighting style. Kolesnikov, a senior researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, once said in the Russian independent media Novaya Gazeta that "exaggerated cruelty" is the characteristic of Prigozhin. Marat Gabidulin, a former member of Wagner Group, said in his memoir that Prigozhin’s "totalitarian" decision-making style often leads to misjudgment and casualties. "Because he firmly believes that he is always right, he is a genius and often overestimates his ability."

  The "frontline hero" in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine

  After Russia launched "special military action" in Ukraine, the confrontation between Russia and Ukraine gradually evolved into a long-term conflict, and Russia launched some military mobilization. In this context, Wagner became an auxiliary supplementary force of Russian troops in Ukraine.

  In January this year, the British Ministry of Defence said: "It is almost certain that Wagner now commands 50,000 soldiers in Ukraine and has become a key part of the Ukrainian campaign." The US Department of National Security also holds the same view that Wagner’s 50,000 people in Uzbekistan are mainly composed of 40,000 prisoners from Russian prisons and 10,000 contractors.

  From the outside world, Wagner’s influence expanded in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, especially in January this year, Wagner claimed to occupy the important town of Leidal in Donetsk. According to Reuters, Russia occupied the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in May, which was regarded as the biggest victory of Russia in the past 10 months, and Wagner was the biggest "hero" of this victory.

  Prigozhin claimed that 20,000 of his soldiers were killed in the battle for Bakhmut, and about half of them were Russian prisoners. They were promised that they would be free after fighting in Ukraine for six months. US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at a news conference in May that Wagner’s death toll may exceed 100,000 since he joined the Ukrainian battlefield.

  Wagner claimed in May that he had established a "defensive front" in Bakhmut, which was denied by the Ukrainian army. According to the Guardian, after winning Bakhmut’s victory, Prigozhin made a speech to the people in Russia together with former arms dealer viktor bout and other hardliners, propagating his image of toughness, populism and anti-elitism, and attacking the "incompetence" of the Russian Ministry of Defense, which resonated with Russians who were dissatisfied with the progress at the front.

  "Wagner" and the escalation of high-level contradictions in the Russian army

  Although Wagner’s troops have been fighting side by side with the Russian regular army, Prigozhin often criticizes the top of the Russian Defense Ministry. He claimed that Moscow did not provide enough ammunition for Wagner’s troops, and even questioned Putin’s special military action in an interview with Russian political activist Konstantin Dolgov in May, saying that the initial goal was to "demilitarize" Ukraine, but the action backfired and made the Ukrainian army stronger.

  Over the past few months, Prigozhin has repeatedly accused Russian Defense Minister shoigu of being "incompetent". Recently, the contradiction has gradually escalated. At the beginning of June, Prigozhin claimed that shoigu deliberately made Wagner under-supplied, and the ammunition shortage rate was as high as 70%, so Wagner would leave Bakhmut and hand over the front to the Ministry of National Defense. This move is regarded as a threat to the Russian Ministry of Defense. In addition, Prigozhin has repeatedly denied the "victory" announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense, saying that the Ministry of Defense tried to "steal" Wagner’s glory.

  According to the Guardian, in early June, Wagner also detained Lt Col Roman Venevitin, a Russian military officer, and the Prigozhin Press Office posted a video questioning the officer on the social platform Telegram. Roman Venevittin opened fire on Wagner’s vehicle after drunkenness, accusing Wagner of stealing weapons, forcing mobilized soldiers to sign contracts with the organization, and trying to extort weapons from the Russian Ministry of Defense to incite "anarchy" on the Russian front. This incident once again exposed the rift between Wagner and the Russian army.

  As the war progressed, the rift between the two sides expanded into a wider gap. The Russian Defense Ministry said on June 10th that the "volunteer troops" in Ukraine must sign contracts with them before July 1st. This is considered to be an attempt by the Russian government to gain more control over these organizations. Prigozhin has refused to sign the contract and attacked the "inefficiency" of the command of the Ministry of National Defense.

  On June 13th, Putin expressed his support for shoigu’s initiative to put informal groups under central control. Putin believes that this can provide mercenaries with the same benefits as soldiers: "This is the only way to ensure social security, because if there is no contract with the state and no contract with the Ministry of National Defense, then the state’s social security has no legal basis." "We need to do this and do it as soon as possible." Other pro-Russian groups fighting in Ukraine, such as Kadyrov of Chechnya, have signed contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry.

  This actually shows that Putin supports the Ministry of National Defense led by shoigu in the dispute between Prigozhin and shoigu. Analysts believe that perhaps it is for this reason that Prigozhin, unwilling to lose control of Wagner, chose to "fight to the death" when the deadline came.

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE450 latest price and configuration details

The stylish, elegant and tense interior of the Mercedes-Benz GLE450 is the greatest competitiveness of the new GLE. Almost any compliment can be used to describe its design. There is no doubt that the high-end leather-wrapped + stitched interior materials are at the top of the class in terms of feel and visual effect. The four rounded rectangles located below the central control screen further enhance the power of the new GLE and distinguish it from other models. The steering wheel is in line with the new S-Class. The three-spoke shape not only reflects the young side of the new GLE, but also the feel of the metal buttons is first-class.

 

The Mercedes-Benz GLE450 is softer in design. The large-size wheels and brake discs reveal a strong sporty atmosphere. The GLE450 is constantly improving and pursuing higher quality. The tough body lines have a self-evident majesty inside, and the shiny Mercedes-Benz logo is shocking.

The distinctive feature of the Mercedes-Benz GLE450 is a sloping or vertical tailgate at the rear, which opens the door and connects the luggage compartment with the passenger space. The new Mercedes-Benz GLE450’s strong and flexible body lines make the whole body more elegant. The rear bumper is wrapped in matte aluminum alloy, which makes it full of texture and wildness. In business situations, it shows domineering, but for family members, this car brings total security.

In terms of body length, height and wheelbase, there are only minor differences between the two. The Mercedes-Benz GLE450 has a more fluid adjustment to the lower air intake grille. The front bumper has larger openings on both sides, and the lower lip is decorated with silver chrome and has a spoiler groove plan. The chrome decoration area of the lower air intake grille is increased, and the fog lamps on both sides are attempted to be removed on both sides, which is more behavioral. The new hollowed-out solid three-pronged emblem is even more distinguished.

The most admirable thing about the Mercedes-Benz GLE450 is that it seems to be very decent in the new car, whether it is an outing or attending formal settings. It is an absolute utility car! The seat adjustment is designed on both sides of the seat cushion, and it is equipped with 3 sets of memory functions. The waist support is on the front side of the seat cushion. The seats of the whole car are made of high-quality calfskin, which provides excellent comfort while maintaining quality.

The Mercedes-Benz GLE450 model is equipped with a 3.0T V6 turbocharged engine, with a maximum power of 367 horsepower, a maximum torque speed of 500 (N.m), a maximum power of 270 (KW) and a maximum power speed of 5000-6000 (rpm). In terms of transmission, it will be fully replaced with Mercedes-Benz’s latest 9AT automatic transmission. Rich driver assistance systems and high-tech configurations, night vision systems, blind spot monitoring, automatic heating wiper systems, pedestrian detection braking systems, and anti-collision driver assistance systems are all available.

When waiting for a red light, its HOLD hold function is also very practical. Whether you step on the brake or not, the accelerator can be released to hold the function, so that you can also start according to the actual situation. Safety is also guaranteed. There is also an air suspension system, which is very hardcore. When flying above 140 km/h, the body will drop to -1 level. When driving at a speed of 40 km/h, the body will rise again. In S Sport driving mode, there will be a significant acceleration and push back. Off-road mode, it can also handle many of the same shapes.

Deng Chao demonstrates how to face child fans: speak well and say nutritious words

  From "Breakup Master" and "Villain Angel" to the "Running Man" captain, people may think more of Deng Chao’s "snake spirit" side when mentioning him. The day before yesterday, at the launch of the movie "Passing Through Your World", Deng Chao also became a "funny responsibility" as always, doing selfie gymnastics, playing gourd babies, exploding selfies, and acting cute. However, Deng Chao revealed that in the movie "Passing Through Your World", he put away his usual funny side, turned into a radio DJ Chen Mo, and quietly listened to everyone’s stories.

  "Runway film"?

  I am a romantic radio DJ.

  In the trailer, Deng Chao’s DJ Chen Mo appears on camera, wearing headphones and sitting in front of a recording microphone, reading "I wish there was someone like you." Deng Chao said that he actually spent a lot of time shaping the voice of the radio DJ. "Chen Mo is divided into two stages, the peak and the decline, and Chen Mo is already in the decline period at the beginning of the story."  

  Guangzhou Daily: Why are you so interested in the role of Chen Mo?

  Deng Chao: First of all, he is very popular with everyone. I have heard of this book for several years before, and I didn’t expect to be able to act it myself. Then I usually listen to the radio and especially want to see the face behind the radio. He may not match your imagination at all. I feel that through this movie, I seem to have fulfilled a wish I had many years ago, because I also like listening to music in the car and listening to the radio DJ talk.

  Guangzhou Daily: Can you tell me the story of this character?

  Deng Chao: Because there is a time span in the movie, Chen Mo’s style is different from his heyday to his state of decline and abandonment, and his voice will be different at each stage.

  Guangzhou Daily: You have always been very funny. Now that you are doing such an affectionate performance, will you be worried that the audience will play?

  Deng Chao: I understand what you mean, just like I always hoped that "Burning Sun" would be a particularly great comedy, but it didn’t succeed. I thought the radio station, Chen Mo, and Zhang Jiajia’s novel were quite interesting, so I quickly went to that world to play.

  "Love triangle" with Zhang Tianai Rhododendron?

  It’s not just about love.

  Deng Chao’s role as Chen Mo has a tangled emotional entanglement with Zhang Tianai’s Yi Chicken and Du Juan’s Xiao Rong in the film. Deng Chao describes one as a current love and the other as a past love, while Chen Mo has been vacillating. The relationship between him and Zhang Tianai has an inverted "My Savage Girlfriend" feeling, and he describes Chen Mo as actually a "Savage Boyfriend".

  Guangzhou Daily: In the movie, you are torn between Yi Chicken and Xiao Rong?

  Deng Chao: Yang Yang and Xiao Yueyue are both love saints and are more persistent. But Chen Mo has always been wavering between the two women.

  Guangzhou Daily: How do you position your relationship with Zhang Tianai?

  Deng Chao: How to describe it, it’s simple and complicated. I’ve always felt like a savage girlfriend myself, but upside down, I’m a "savage boyfriend".

  Too busy to forget Qixi Festival?

  "Every day is Qixi Festival"

  When asked about his plans for the Qixi Festival, which was the day before, Mr. Deng said he had forgotten about it and was going to Wuxi to film on the same day. But when asked whether he would tell his wife, Sun Li, he declared that "every day is Qixi Festival".

  Guangzhou Daily: How do you plan to celebrate the Qixi Festival?

  Deng Chao: The Qixi Festival is going to be filmed on the spot, in Wuxi. I forgot about it, it’s great that you reminded me.

  Guangzhou Daily: Have you ever had the habit of Qixi Festival?

  Deng Chao: To be honest, I don’t, but I have to respond to the scene. Seeing everyone like that, I’m sorry.

  Guangzhou Daily: How are you going to tell Sun Li?

  Deng Chao: I am the Qixi Festival every day, no need for special expression, haha.

  Guangzhou Daily: After "Running Man", you have a lot of kid fans. Did you think of that?

  Deng Chao: Not at all. I was also very surprised. When we were filming this drama, there was a little girl and her mother waiting outside the studio. The little girl also held up a sign that said, "Uncle Deng Chao, I am your youngest fan." I was very touched. So I went back to educate Chen He to speak well, to say nutritious and positive words, and to convey positive energy to the children.

Central Meteorological Observatory: A new round of cold air strikes, and the south will welcome the strongest rainfall since the flood season.

Source: Xinhuanet
Although it has been in long summer, the cold air in China is still active recently. The reporter learned from the China Meteorological Bureau that from May 9 to 13, the north was disturbed by cold air, but the southern part of the Yangtze River and southern China will experience the strongest rainfall since the flood season this year. This process has the characteristics of long duration, large accumulated rainfall and fierce local rainfall.
The heavy rainfall in the south is ready to go, and the north is full of coolness. How to strengthen disaster risk prevention? Does it have an adverse effect on spring ploughing and sowing? Chen Tao, chief forecaster of the Central Meteorological Observatory, interpreted this.
Long-term confrontation between cold and warm air leads to long rainfall time and heavy rainfall.
According to the forecast of the Central Meteorological Observatory, it is predicted that the rainfall in the southern region will increase in the coming week. Among them, from May 9 to 13, southern Jiangnan and southern China will experience the strongest rainfall since the flood season this year. There will be heavy rain in most areas south of the Yangtze River, heavy rain in parts of South China and South Jiangnan, and heavy rain in Guangdong and Guangxi. These areas are accompanied by strong convective weather such as short-term heavy precipitation, thunderstorms or hail.
Chen Tao said that the strongest rainfall period in the process will occur from 10th to 12th, with precipitation concentrated in southern Jiangnan and southern China, and the daily rainfall at individual stations in Guangdong and Guangxi may reach historical extremes.
The main reasons for the heavy rainfall process in the south are: first, the subtropical high in the western Pacific is stable, the warm and humid airflow at its western edge and the cold air in the north continue to meet in Jiangnan and South China, and the cold and warm air confront each other for a long time, which leads to the long duration of the rainfall; Second, the southwest water vapor transport in the lower atmosphere in southern China has been significantly enhanced recently. Affected by the cyclone storm in the Bay of Bengal, it is more conducive to the water vapor transport to the south of China and provides sufficient water vapor conditions for this rainfall.
When the south enters rainy season, the risk of disaster is increased and attention is paid to prevention.
Affected by continuous heavy rainfall, the meteorological risk of mountain torrents and geological disasters in eastern and northern Guangxi, central Guangdong, southwestern Fujian, southwestern Jiangxi and southern Hunan is high; The meteorological risk of floods in small and medium-sized rivers in central Guangdong and eastern Guangxi is high. Chen Tao suggested that the above areas should pay attention to prevent the meteorological risks of mountain torrents, geological disasters and floods in small and medium-sized rivers that may be caused by heavy rainfall.
In addition, according to the forecast of the National Climate Center, this year’s South China Sea summer monsoon will break out in the third season (10th to 15th) in May, slightly earlier than normal (4th season in May), and its intensity is close to normal to weak. Under normal circumstances, within two weeks after the onset of the South China Sea summer monsoon, the monsoon airflow will carry more abundant southwest warm and humid water vapor from the tropical Indian Ocean and the South China Sea to the East Asian continent, and the convective heavy precipitation in the southern region will increase significantly, and the southwest rainy season and plum rain will begin one after another.
Therefore, when the south enters a rainy period, the risk of disaster increases, and extreme weather may occur, so preparations for disaster prevention and relief should be made in advance. Chen Tao said that the public should pay attention to the rolling meteorological forecast and early warning information released by various places and try to avoid going out during periods of heavy rainfall and strong convective weather.
Cold air affects frequently, and many places in the north are full of coolness.
Although long summer has passed, cold air is still active recently. Under the influence of cold air, the temperature in many places in North China Plain in these two days was obviously lower than that in the same period of normal years. On the morning of May 8, affected by cold air and rainfall, the temperature in Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Hebei and other places hovered at 10 degrees Celsius, and the body felt cold.
The Central Meteorological Observatory predicts that there will be a strong cold air activity in northern China from 10th to 12th. By then, the temperature in Inner Mongolia and most parts of northwest, northeast and north China will drop by 4 to 8 degrees Celsius, and the local temperature will drop by more than 10 degrees Celsius, accompanied by northerly winds of 4 to 6, and gusts of 7 to 9. Chen Tao said that due to the frequent influence of cold air, the temperature in many places in the North China Plain will continue to be low in the coming week, reminding the public to appropriately increase clothes according to the temperature forecast.
In addition to the strong wind cooling, some areas in the north will be accompanied by precipitation weather, and there will be small to moderate rain or thunderstorms and local heavy rain in Inner Mongolia and northwest, north China and northeast China. Low temperature combined with rainfall leads to lower somatosensory temperature.
Spring ploughing and spring sowing are generally smooth, and cooling and precipitation temporarily hinder the process.
Since spring sowing, the weather has been good in most parts of the country, which is conducive to the development of spring ploughing and spring sowing. At present, the progress of spring sowing of grain crops in China has been more than half, faster than the same period last year; Among them, the sowing and planting of early rice has ended, with more than 80% of spring wheat, 70% of spring corn and 20% of soybeans, and the overall progress is smooth. Cotton, spring corn, soybean and one-season rice in Xinjiang, North China, Huanghuai and other places are still being planted.
The process of precipitation cooling in central and eastern China from 9 to 13 is beneficial to supplement soil moisture in northern China, but the spring sowing operation will be temporarily blocked due to precipitation. The average temperature in the northern part of Northeast China, northern part of North China, eastern Gansu, central Shaanxi and other places is below 8 degrees Celsius, and the sowing of dryland crops such as corn and soybeans is suspended, and the germination rate of sown crops is slowed down.
Chen Tao suggested that the northeast region should avoid cooling and windy periods as much as possible, and plant seeds in time according to moisture and temperature changes. In areas with wet soil, pay attention to stepping up moisture removal after the weather improves; For the sown crops in dry land, attention should be paid to field inspection, and remedial measures should be taken in time once powder seeds are found; It is not advisable to transplant rice seedlings early in rice planting areas, pay attention to regulating the temperature and humidity in the seedling shed, and do a good job of wind protection and reinforcement. Areas that have not yet completed the sowing plan should seize the favorable weather, sow while the soil moisture is growing, and speed up the progress of spring sowing. Do a good job in seedling management of sown fields, and check and replenish seedlings in time.
For the southern region, heavy rainfall and strong convective weather are easy to cause rice lodging and short-term waterlogging in farmland, which is not good for harvesting and drying rape in southern Jiangnan. All localities need to clean ditches in time to ensure smooth drainage and reduce the impact of waterlogging.
Producer: Zhu Yonglei and Qiu Xiaomin
Planning: Li You
Reporter: Yu Ziru Wang Meili
Video shooting and production: Chen Zheng Zhang Yubo
Editor: Yang Liu
Xinhuanet and China Meteorological Network jointly produced.
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