2023-06-24 19:52:41
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday described the armed insurrection led by the leader of the paramilitary group Wagner, Yevgueni Prigojine as “treason” and “a stab in the back”.
“The actions that divide our unity are, in essence, a betrayal of our people, of our comrades-in-arms who are currently fighting on the front line. It is a stab in the back of our country and our people,” he said in an address to the Nation.
“Those who organized the military rebellion, who raised arms against their comrades in arms have betrayed Russia and will answer for it. And I urge those who are drawn into this crime not to make the fatal, tragic and irreparable mistake, to make the only right choice – to stop participating in criminal actions,” the Russian head of state noted.
Read also: Wagner Group insurgency: Several Russian cities and regions under a security dome
Mr. Putin also noted that “all those who have deliberately chosen the path of treason, who have prepared an armed insurrection, who have chosen the path of blackmail and terrorist methods, will suffer inevitable retribution, will answer both before the law and before our people.
Without naming Prigozhin, the Russian president noted that the latter’s “betrayal” is fueled by “excessive ambitions and special interests”.
The relationship between Evgueni Prigojine and the Kremlin has been marked by many tensions in recent months, the boss of Wagner not hesitating to criticize Moscow publicly, accusing it in particular of not sending enough weapons.
Wagner’s boss said on Saturday that he had taken control of Rostov-on-Don, an important Russian army logistics center located 1,200 km from Moscow, hours after calling for an insurrection against the leaders. of the Russian army.
On this point, the Russian President acknowledged that the situation in Rostov-on-Don was difficult, assuring that all necessary measures would be taken to stabilize it.
“Determined efforts will also be made to stabilize the situation in Rostov-on-Don, which remains complex, with the work of civil and military authorities effectively blocked,” he said in his speech.
Prigojine went into rebellion with the 25,000 men claimed by his group, after accusing the regular army of having bombarded his troops.
Following these accusations, the Russian public prosecutor’s office announced, on the night of Friday to Saturday, the opening of an investigation for “armed mutiny” against the leader of the Wagner group, while the authorities established the “regime of anti-terrorist operation” in Moscow and reinforced security measures in several other regions of Russia.
“The statements released in the name of Yevgueni Prigojine have no connection with reality. To react to these statements, the FSB (Editor’s note Federal Security Service) is opening a criminal investigation into his calls for armed rebellion. We demand an immediate end to these illegal acts,” the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said.
The Russian Ministry of Defense, for its part, denied the allegations that the Russian armed forces had struck camps where the forces of the Wagner group were deployed.
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