Czech Republic monitoring situation in Russia, emphasizes travel warning

The Czech Republic is closely monitoring the situation in Russia, according to Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský, who spoke to Czech News Agency this morning. As the security situation in the country worsens, he has emphasized the Czech Republic's "strong" warning against traveling to Russia.

Mercenaries from the Wagner Group, who had been fighting alongside Russia's military during the invasion of Ukraine, appear to now be in full-blown rebellion. This morning, Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin has claimed control of the major Russian city Rostov-on-Don.

Prigozhin accused the Russian military of attacking his men on Friday, and called on Russians to join thousands of his fighters and stop "the evil that the army command is doing." The Wagner Group head threatened to march on Moscow unless Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov came to see him.

The Russian Ministry of Defense described the action as an armed rebellion. Russian President Vladimir Putin said today that the armed rebellion by mercenaries from the Wagner Group is a betrayal of Russia, and that its masterminds will be "severely punished."

"We are closely monitoring the situation in the Russian Federation," Lipavský told Czech News Agency.

"With regard to the ongoing military invasion of Ukraine and the possible threat of deteriorating security in the country, especially for citizens of EU and NATO countries, our strong warning against traveling to the territory of the Russian Federation still applies."

Due to the current situation, the Czech Republic only has limited opportunities to help Czech citizens within Russia in case they need assistance, he added.

Lipavský made light of the situation on Twitter, anticipating an end to the war in Ukraine. "I can see my summer vacation in Crimea is quickly approaching," he tweeted. Other Czech politicians have also weighed in on this morning's events.

"After sixteen months of war in Ukraine, Russia is at war with Russia," Czech Minister of Defense Defense Minister Jana Černochová tweeted, adding that the meaning of Russia's "special operation" is finally clear.

"Nothing surprising. It's their tradition. Unsuccessful wars there end in the execution of the Tsar, chaos, and civil war under the watchful eye of the buffoons. Congratulations."

"Prigozhin hates Shoigu and Gerasimov," writes Czech Senator Miroslava Němcová. "He wants to overthrow them. He is silent about Putin. So his goal is to replace those two and make Putin a slave puppet."

"Three musketeers in Russian: one against all, all against one. Let them fight as long as possible, to the last drop their blood."