Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has released a statement advising residents of the capital to refrain from unnecessary travel and announced that Monday would not be a regular working day for most individuals, with exceptions made for essential services, security personnel, and the military, among others.
“In order to reduce risks, I have made the decision, in coordination with the operational headquarters, to declare Monday as a non-working day,” Sobyanin stated on the Telegram platform.
He urged residents to refrain from unnecessary travel around the city and told them to report emergency situations to the emergency services hotline (112 in Russia) as quickly as possible.
These steps come as Wagner troops reportedly entered the Lipetsk region some 300 kilometers south of Moscow, as they move rapidly north along the M4 highway towards the capital.
Mercenaries from the Wagner Group have entered the Lipetsk region some 300 kilometers (250 miles) south of Moscow, the governor said on Saturday afternoon.
“Hardware of the Wagner mercenary group is moving across the territory of the Lipetsk region,” Governor Igor Artamonov said on Telegram.
“I remind you that residents are strongly recommended not to leave their houses or to make trips on any mode of transport.”