All restrictions connected with the counter-terrorist operation mode have been waived in the city of Moscow, says Sergey Sobyanin, the mayor of the Russian capital.
“I wish to thank Moscow’s residents for their understanding and patience,” Sobyanin wrote.
The restrictions have also been waived in the regions of Moscow and Voronezh, as per the National Anti-terrorism Committee and the FSB.
The counter-terrorist operation mode was declared in Moscow, the Moscow region, and the Voronezh region in the morning of 24 June due to the mutiny set up by PMC Wagner’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. According to Russian law, this regulation allows the authorities to check people’s documents, control telephone conversations, inspect vehicles and people’s personal belongings, as well as turn off communications, use people’s vehicles and enter their homes, as well as to impose quarantine.
In addition to the counter-terrorist operation mode, Moscow’s authorities have also declared a day-off on Monday, excluding state bodies, businesses with pressing continuity, military industry enterprises, and urban services.
On 23 June, the Wagner Group announced that units of the Russian Defence Ministry had struck a mercenary camp. The ministry denied this. Later, Prigozhin announced a “march of justice” on Russian territory.
In the early hours of 24 June, the FSB opened a criminal case against Prigozhin for organising an armed uprising. The special service stated that the Wagner chief’s actions are “essentially calls for starting an armed civil conflict” on Russian territory and are “a knife in the back” for Russian troops.
By the afternoon of 24 June, the Wagner troops had taken control of Russia’s southern cities of Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh, and started advancing on Moscow. However, in the evening of the same day, Belarus’ Alyaksandar Lukashenka came up with a statement saying he held talks with Prigozhin and managed to convince the insurgent to stop the advance on Moscow.
Later on, Prigozhin announced that the Wagnerites would return to their field camps.
