Reacting To Aborted Wagner Coup, Supporters Of Iran-Backed Iraqi Militias Champion Putin, Salafi-Jihadis Note Benefits Of Wagner Dissolution For Mujahideen, Lament End Of 'Inter-Crusader War'

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On the evening of June 23, 2023, a column of armored vehicles carrying fighters from the Russian Wagner Private Military Company (PMC) left Ukraine, where they were fighting on the Russian side, and entered the city of Rostov-on-Don, which they took over with no resistance. From there, Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin demanded that President Vladimir Putin dismiss Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and army Commander-in-Chief Valery Gerasimov, threatening to lead his forces to Moscow if the demands were not met. After marching north through the city of Voronezh and reportedly coming within 200 km (125 miles) of the capital – while killing at least 15 Russian servicemen by shooting down an attack helicopter and destroying an airplane – Prigozhin halted his advance on the evening of June 24 after a deal was brokered by Belarusian President and Putin ally Alexander Lukashenko. According to the terms of the agreement, Prigozhin would go into exile in Belarus, and Wagner fighters be granted amnesty and given the option of joining the regular Russian army.

This attempted "coup" against Putin by an erstwhile ally surprised observers with its sudden development, and was discussed by online jihadis, as well.[1]

Supporters of Iran-backed militias in Iraq, which have strongly sided with Russia and Putin since its invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, stood by their support of Putin, praising the Russian leader while casting doubt on the veracity of media reports.

Salafi-jihadis mainly addressed the event's implications for the conflicts being waged around the world by jihadi groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS), noting that the dissolution of the Wagner group may benefit the mujahideen who have been fighting against it in Mali and elsewhere,[2] and expressing regret that the conflict deescalated before erupting into a full-scale civil war. A supporter of Syrian jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), which fights the Assad regime and its Russian backer, criticized Syrian rebels who celebrated Wagner's attempted coup, noting that Wagner has been equally complicit in crimes perpetrated against Syrians.

Following is a survey of some reactions:

Supporters Of Iran-Backed Iraqi Militias: Wagner Fighters Will Be Wiped Out If They Try To Take Moscow, Putin Will Defeat American "Liberals" Who Champion Homosexuality

On June 24, as the Wagner forces were still advancing on Moscow, a Telegram channel which supports Iran-backed Iraqi militias published, published a post mocking the "propaganda" that claimed there was a concrete risk of Wagner taking the Russian capital, asserting that Prigozhin and his forces were no match for Putin.[3]

Noting that the distance between Rostov-on-Don and Moscow is more than 1,100 km (680 miles), the channel dismissed as "truly delusional" the thought that "25,000 people with few defense systems and a small number of tanks and artillery could invade the capital of Russia," stating that the Wagner fighters did not meet greater resistance due to "orders from above" to "end this problem at least cost." The channel added: "If the Wagner commander does not surrender, he will be killed with all his forces," and belittled those who imagined that "they are now within the gates of Moscow."

At the same time, the Sabereen News Telegram channel published a post in Russian, expressing support for Putin as the vanguard of the fight against U.S. "liberalism" which supports the LGBTQ+ cause. "From Iraq to Russia: Russia will triumph over its enemies. In the new world there will be no countries that support homosexuality and injustice. Putin defeated NATO in Ukraine and will defeat liberals around the world." [4]

Another channel posted a 17-second video clip containing footage of Putin walking and an Arabic-language song praising him for having "defeated" the Americans. The channel commented in Russian: "From independent Iraqi media to an all-powerful man who opposes the United States of America," and added a pride flag, along with the English and Russian hashtag #we_stand_with_you.[5]

Pro-Al-Qaeda Media Group: Wagner's Dissolution Benefits Mujahideen Fighting Russia

A pro-Al-Qaeda outlet commented that Wagner's dissolution would negatively affect Russia's campaigns against the mujahideen around the world and benefit the mujahideen. The media group published a poster reading: "In the context of the conflict between Russia and Wagner: Wagner fights the mujahideen in Africa, Syria, and Libya, and is now out of the battles. This endangers the Russians' operations there, praise to Allah."[6]

ISIS Supporters Disappointed No "Inter-Crusader War" Broke Out, Hope For Reescalation

Following the resolution of the conflict, a user of the ISIS-operated Rocket.Chat server wrote: "Kind of dissapointing [sic]. Wagner and Russia is not about to kill each other. Was hoping for the next inter-crusader war." Another user responded: "They looks like [they] have settle the issue but actually still hating each other. Hope conflict between kuffar [infidels] escalated."[7]

HTS Supporter: Wagner Fighters Are Criminals Who Murdered Syrians, Just Like Putin

An HTS supporter warned pro-rebel journalists not to "tweet outside the flock" and publish posts praising Wagner. Referring to the group as a "criminal militia which has supported Assad and contributed to his stabilization," he wrote that it has "killed Syrians, mutilated their corpses, and published clips of its soldiers playing with Syrians' skulls," adding that both the Wagner group and Putin are criminals.[8]