Clearly speaking from a position of strength, Russian State Duma Committee on State Construction Pavel Krasheninnikov on Saturday offered rebellious Wagner mercenaries a full amnesty if they lay down their arms and give up the mutiny, CNN reports. “Of course, there is a chance to lay down arms and avoid punishment, and the President also talked about this,” Krasheninnikov told TASS.
In very related news, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin declared a “counter-terrorism regime” and ordered citizens to stay home on Monday. “The situation is difficult. In order to minimize risks, I, within the framework of the operational headquarters, decided to declare Monday a non-working day – with the exception of authorities and enterprises of a continuous cycle, the military-industrial complex, and city services… I ask you to refrain from traveling around the city as much as possible. It is possible that traffic will be blocked in certain areas and on certain roads,” Sobyanin wrote on Telegram. Other reports indicate the Kremlin is preparing to declare full-on martial law with the Wagner convoy now passing through the city of Lipetsk, less than 300 miles from Moscow.