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Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to crush what he called an armed mutiny after mercenary Wagner Group’s chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said on Saturday he had taken control of a southern city as part of an attempt to oust the military leadership.
The dramatic turn, with many details unclear, looked like the biggest domestic crisis Putin has faced since he ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine — which he called a “special military operation” — in February last year.
The crisis broke out after Prigozhin, in a series of recordings accused the Russian military of attacking, Wagner encampments, killing “a huge number of fighters.” He added that his “25,000” men are on a “march for justice”.
What did Putin say in his address?
In his speech, Putin said that “excessive ambitions and vested interests have led to treason”, and called the mutiny a “stab in the back”.
“It is a blow to Russia, to our people. And our actions to defend the Fatherland against such a threat will be harsh.”
As per The New York Times, Putin, without using Prigozhin’s name, accused him of treason. He added that “decisive actions” would be taken “to stabilize the situation in Rostov-on-Don.” While admitting that the southern Russian city’s circumstances are “difficult”, he also mentioned that the functioning of military and civilian institutions in Rostov-on-Don has “essentially been blocked”.
In his five-minute address, Putin also evoked history — citing the Russian Revolution of 1917, which occurred as the Russian Empire was fighting in World War I. “I will do everything to defend the country,” he said.
“All those who deliberately stepped on the path of betrayal, who prepared an armed insurrection, who took the path of blackmail and terrorist methods, will suffer inevitable punishment, will answer both to the law and to our people,” Putin added.
What is happening in Russia right now?
A Russian security source informed Reuters on Saturday that Wagner Group mercenary fighters had taken control of all military facilities in the city of Voronezh, around 500 km south of Moscow. Earlier in the day, Prigozhin claimed that he had reached inside the Russian army headquarters in Russia’s southern Rostov-on-Don city and that his fighters were in control of the city’s military sites. He later released a video on social media, demanding Russia’s Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and top general Valery Gerasimov come to meet him at the spot.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that the authorities in Moscow and the surrounding area have “declared a counterterrorism state of emergency” against the threats issued by the Wagner Group. Since Friday night, security has been stepped up at government buildings, transport facilities and other key locations in the capital, TASS news agency reported on Friday night, citing a source at a security service. According to the BBC, the internet was restricted and military trucks were spotted on the streets of Moscow.
(With inputs from AP and NYT)
