Russia: All mass events cancelled in Tula Oblast within counterterrorism

Mass events planned for June 24-25 in Russia’s Tula Oblast have been cancelled.

The decision was made as part of an anti-terrorist measure and announced by the Oblast government, according to Kommersant.

"Due to the strengthening of anti-terrorism measures in Tula Oblast, it was decided to cancel all mass events planned for this weekend," the government said in a statement.

Since June 23 evening, anti-terrorist measures have been tightened in Tula. Transit access has been temporarily restricted along the M-4 "Don" highway from the Moscow and Lipetsk oblasts. Mass events have also been cancelled in Rostov Oblast.

In addition, since the same moment, security measures in the Russian oblasts have been strengthened, after public accusations of the founder of Russian para-military company Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, of firing at the company's positions by the Defence Ministry. By June 24 morning, he claimed control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don.

Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed that the regular Russian army had launched a missile strike on the Wagnerites’ rear camps. Prigozhin claimed that Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived in Rostov, where he personally conducted an operation to wipe out the mercenaries.

Prigozhin's 25,000 mercenaries are allegedly going to "restore justice". At the same time, he asked not to call it a "military coup". Prigozhin added that Shoigu had cowardly fled Rostov and "this creature will be stopped". The Russian Defence Ministry called the information a provocation.

Photos and videos of armoured vehicles on the streets of the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don are being posted on Russian social media following Prigozhin’s statement about a de facto declaration of war against the Russian army. Checkpoints are set up at entrances to Moscow.

Prigozhin claimed that his forces had taken control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don, including the air base, and were heading "to Moscow" and that his soldiers had shot down three Russian helicopters.