SUMMARY
During 2023, Russia was challenged by several armed groups aiming to overthrow the government in Moscow, after having previously fought inside of Ukraine. LSR (Freedom of Russia Legion) and RDK (Russian Volunteer Corps) were Russian opposition groups that had fought alongside Ukrainian forces, but which jointly conducted cross-border raids into Russia during 2023 and 2024. In 2024 only LSR, the larger of the groups, were active. Wagner was a mercenary group that had fought alongside Russia in Ukraine, as well as having been Russia's preferred form of military support to friendly countries in Africa. In June 2023, Wagner attempted a coup after tensions between its leader, Prigozhin, and the Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu and army chief Valery Gerasimov resulted in Wagner's attempt to unseat them.
Prior to 2023, the conflict over government had not been active since 1993, when disagreement between the Russian President Yeltsin and the deputies of the parliament and forces seeking to preserve parts of the Soviet system led to a coup attempt in Moscow resulting in the death of 150 people. The dispute concerned the reform program, initiated by the president, which numerous deputies opposed. The government forces were clearly superior thus forcing the deputies and their supporters to instant surrender.
IN DEPTH
Spillover from Ukraine
During 2023, Russia was challenged by several groups aiming to overthrow the government in Moscow, including Wagner, LSR (Freedom of Russia Legion), and RDK (Russian Volunteer Corps).
Engaged in combat alongside Ukrainian forces against Russia within the International Legion, LSR and RDK also conducted occasional raids into Russian territory. After smaller skirmishes in Belgorod and Bryansk during March and April 2023, they launched a coordinated attack in May 2023 and briefly controlled some villages in Belgorod oblast close to the Ukrainian border. At least 70 people were killed in clashes between the Government of Russia on the one side and LSR and RDK on the other during 2023. Renewed raids were conducted in Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk in September 2023, Both the LSR and RDK conducted limited raids across the border from Ukraine in 2024. A raid primarily focused on the Belgorod region in March made LSR active.
With the start of Ukraine's Kursk offensive in August 2024, Ukrainian forces openly operated across the border, diminishing the need for plausible deniability offered by using Russian opposition outfits. No events inside of Russia were attributed to either group for the rest of the year or the following year.
Wagner coup attempt
The private military company Wagner was involved in a short uprising against the Russian government in 2023. Prior to the mutiny, the Wagner group acted on behalf of the Russian government in the war in Ukraine. During the battle of Bakhmut, Prigozhin frequently criticized the Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu and army chief Valery Gerasimov, for failing to supply his forces with enough supplies and ammunition, causing substantial losses. These tensions escalated and on 24 June 2023, Wagner declared war on the Russian Defense Ministry and started marching on Moscow. Following a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Wagner halted its rebellion and relocated to Belarus. Prigozhin kept a low profile the following months but appeared on a recruitment video from an African country, most likely Mali, in August. Two days later, 23 August 2023, a plane that was carrying the Wagner leadership, including Prigozhin, crashed north of Moscow, killing all ten passengers and crew. Although officially denying involvement, Russia was blamed for the crash. After the death of its leadership, Wagner was integrated under the Russian Defense Ministry as the Africa Corps (also called the Russian Expeditionary Corps), and it's operations continued in Africa under government directions. With the defeat of Wagner in 2023, the Putin regime had survived its most serious challenge to date.
Prior to 2023, the conflict over government had not been active since 1993, when disagreement between the Russian President Yeltsin and the deputies of the parliament and forces seeking to preserve parts of the Soviet system led to a coup attempt in Moscow.
1993 Coup
On 25 December, 1991, Mikhail Gorbachev formally resigned as President of the Soviet Union, thereby confirming the effective dissolution of the Union. In its place, the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) was formed, with Boris Yeltsin as its leading figure. Yeltsin also became President of the Russian Federation, the biggest of the CIS member states. The new President initiated a reform program and started to develop a new Russian constitution, which would redefine the balance of power between the executive and the legislative institutions. The Presidents reformist approach and, in particular, his efforts to advance constitutional reform, caused concern among the nationalist and communist parliamentary deputies in the Supreme Soviet (the Russian legislative body). When Yeltsin, on 21 September, 1993, issued the decree On Gradual Constitutional Reform, stating that the powers of the legislature should be suspended with immediate effect, the latent conflict between the two camps escalated rapidly. The nationalist and communist parliamentary deputies argued that by declaring that elections to a new bicameral legislature would take place, the President had carried out coup against the state. There was, thus, an incompatibility on whether or not constitutional reforms should be advanced. More specifically, the matter of dispute referred to the continued existence of the Supreme Soviet. The disagreement between the two parties led the deputies to take control of the parliament building, where they set up their own government and appointed Aleksandr Rutskoi as acting President.
As the deputies besieged the parliament, turbulence broke out in Moscow. Supporters of the nationalist and communist deputies erected barricades around the parliament building and took part in riots and demonstrations. Even if no specific parliamentary force was fighting for the deputies, groups of people sympathising with the deputies cause took up arms. On 23 September 1993, during an attack on the military command centre of the CIS, the first casualties of the conflict occurred. Around 10 days later, on 3 October 1993, violence escalated drastically as the deputies supporters stormed the office of the Mayor of Moscow and the television building. This offensive was met with armed force and President Yeltsin subsequently ordered the government forces to shell the parliament building. Around 150 people were killed in the fighting that ensued during the night of 3 October and the following day.
As the conflict escalated, there were numerous calls for organising negotiations between the parties. However, President Yeltsin refused for several days to establish a dialogue with the deputies. Finally, talks were initiated with the help of the Russian Orthodox Church. Nevertheless, after two days, on 3 October, the negotiations broke down and violent clashes ensued.
The course of the conflict was rapid, with direct, armed fighting between the parties only taking place during a two-day period. Even though tens of thousands of people supported the around 600 deputies, the Russian government had a substantial military capability at its disposal. The government forces were clearly the superior party. The deputies and their supporters had no option but to surrender when their resistance encountered heavy military force. Thus, on 4 October 1993, the deputies capitulated, and numerous supporters were arrested. Once the opposition in the legislature had been suppressed and the conflict was terminated, President Yeltsin continued his reform work. On 12 December 1993, a new constitution was approved and elections to a new Federal Assembly were held. The leaders of the anti-government insurrection were charged with incitement to riot.
