The head of the Rostov region spoke about the actions of the authorities during the Wagner rebellion

On June 29, the heads of a dozen Russian regions took part in the ASI forum “Strong Ideas for the New Times”. Among them is the head of the Rostov region Vasily Golubev. He told Vedomosti how the regional authorities acted on June 24 during the rebellion of the founder of PMC Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin and what is happening in the region now.

– What is the current situation in the region?

– The situation is working, normal. In the Rostov region, the active phase is now – it is necessary to prepare for the harvest, which is fundamental for us.

– What are the consequences of what happened? [23 и 24 июня]?

“A person who now enters the city will not see the consequences. Roads have been restored, curbs restored. The equipment that was in the way of the column was removed. People live their lives. The situation at gas stations has been normalized. This [очереди на дорогах] It was only one day, the next day everything was back to normal.

And, if we talk about the provision of food, food, the only difficulty was that the columns of cars that closed the traffic created certain difficulties. As soon as we took them away, took them out of the city and sent them to other directions, almost everything worked.

There was one nuance. For example, garbage trucks were not allowed to pass through some of the posts that the Wagnerites set up. About a day later, it all worked, and the city quickly cleaned everything up. I don’t even know what problems exist now, we live normally.

– On Friday [23 июня] and on Saturday [24 июня] Have you been in touch with PMCs or with the Ministry of Defense?

– I was in regular contact with the Ministry of Defense, I talked with the President. From law enforcement agencies, I communicated with almost everyone, regional ones were all on the ground, working. It is clear that headquarters were created in each [региональном] ministry. The deputy governors themselves were in government for some time. After [в Ростов-на-Дону] the column entered [сил ЧВК «Вагнер»], they went to the ministries to lead the branch headquarters. I stayed there [в правительстве]and did not leave the city.

– Now everything is “lost” [генерала] Sergei Surovikin.

– I did not know about Surovikine.

– He was in Rostov-on-Don?

– I don’t know about it.

– How easy are they? [«вагнеровцы»] passed?

– I think this is more of a question for the relevant department. The security forces all worked in their places. Well, in this situation, the difficulty arose that traffic jams, and the traffic police reported every hour how they were raked.

– And when you were told that they [бойцы «Вагнера»] appeared?

– I think it was between 8 and 9 pm. After 30-40 minutes, I assembled the headquarters, distributed tasks to our deputies for life support.

Where were the Wagnerians then?

– They have just reached the M4 (the Don highway), maybe they have passed a little.

But they couldn’t be stopped?

– Well, these questions are more for specialists and for the military. Because what civilians did – they put cars, water carriers, tractors, bulldozers, was easily and simply swept away by tanks and heavy equipment.

– What do you think about the messages in some Telegram channels that some locals met them quite kindly?

– I think that this is an insinuation – including the “Wagnerites” themselves. They were already in the city – this information should be verified, but not all of them were dressed in the military.

– And you yourself did not communicate with Prigogine?

– Is there any anxiety today?

No, there is no feeling of anxiety at all. The region worked systematically and correctly during these difficult two days. And now absolutely everyone is in place, today I listened to reports on the beginning of the harvesting campaign – this is a very important component for us. As you know, our region is agro-industrial, serious.

– That Saturday, too, it seemed that everything was fine?

“Wait, well, you can’t say that. When military equipment is in the city.

Before that, of course. There was an ordinary life … So you need to learn a lesson.

What should be the lessons?

– I think that [это] you have to, we do it. Once again work out the system of interaction between law enforcement and civil services. It matters. We really look at the situation. If only we had more information…

– Do you have any questions for your subordinates in the end?

– Did everything work well?

– At all. All subordinates spent 100% of their time either at their workplaces or in places where, for example, there were problems with fuel – people left, clarified. We see that we have a stock, a normal stock. Well, people lined up, instead of a tank, they are picking up a tank with a canister.

We saw problems with the ambulance in two cases. Why? Yes, because it was impossible to pass. The patient was consulted, the person is fine, I was specifically interested. We saw, for example, the problem of garbage collection – it is clear why, because there is a post there that does not let cars through. Exactly a day was delayed, where it was possible, they left, during the day they removed what had accumulated.

I have not yet finished, as they say, studying the situation. Upon my return to Rostov, I will listen to assistants and leaders about what nuances we see so that in the event of an emergency [действовать]. The region remained in emergency mode.

– Are there many people in the region who served in Wagner PMC?

“I’m not ready to say. I know they are, but I’m not ready to say.

– But suddenly you will contact them or their families so that they sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense.

– I’m not ready to say whether I will contact them. Yes, probably. We continue to work on contractors. But there is already the work of military registration and enlistment offices, recruiting offices, the military, probably. I don’t know exactly how many.