What is a coup?
A coup (pronounced “koo”; the ‘p’ is silent) is a serious event that happens when a group of people, like military or political leaders, try to take control of a government by using force. Instead of following the rules to elect a leader, they use violence or threats.
The group doing the coup might not like the current leaders or want more power for themselves. Instead of waiting for the next election, they try to forcefully take over the government.
Coup attempts can cause violence, confusion, and even war. That's why countries have laws and ways to stop coups and keep people safe. Recently, a coup-like situation occurred in Russia.
Oh no! What happened in Russia?
On the evening of 23rd June 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian private military group named Wagner, criticised the Russian defence ministry's leadership. He said that they were targeting his group, Wagner PMC.
Then, on 24th June 2023, the Wagner group captured a city in Russia called Rostov-on-Don and started moving towards Moscow. Prigozhin called this a "March for Justice" and said it wasn't a coup.
However, a deal was made between Prigozhin and the Russian government by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. So, the march towards Moscow was stopped, and Prigozhin told his men to go back.
What are Yevgeny Prigozhin's problems with Russia's defence minister?
For many months, Yevgeny Prigozhin has been criticising Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the head of the armed forces, Valery Gerasimov. He's upset because he thinks they haven't given his troops enough equipment and ammunition.
On 23rd June 2023, Prigozhin told Russians that the war in Ukraine was just an excuse for some people to show off and trick the country and the president. He also said that the Russian military attacked his soldiers, but the military said it didn't happen.
Prigozhin said the defence ministry was bad at their job and corrupt. Because of all this, Prigozhin organised a "March for Justice," but fortunately, nothing serious happened. A deal was made with Prigozhin, and he said he's cancelling the "March for Justice" because he doesn't want to hurt Russia and its people.
What deal was struck, and what punishments are the Wagner Group facing?
The details of the deal that was made haven't been shared with the public yet. But a spokesperson mentioned some important parts. The soldiers from Wagner PMC will go back to their barracks, and Yevgeny Prigozhin will go to Belarus.
The members of the Wagner group who didn't take part in the "coup" would be given jobs with the Russian defence ministry. Everyone else will be allowed to return home without punishment because they served in the Russia-Ukraine war.
In the end, the "coup" was stopped without any fighting. That's the most important thing.
