Skip to main content

Putin says Wagner mutineers betrayed Russia offers non-participants contract with Ministry of Defense

Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed his country Monday for the first time since the end of a short-lived mutiny of Wagner mercenary troops led by Yevgeny Prigozhin over the weekend. 

In a short speech, Putin said the mutineers "betrayed the country, their people and those who they dragged into this affair." 

"The enemies of Russia wanted, the Nazis in Kyiv and their Western sponsors and various assorted traitors, wanted bloodshed. They wanted Russian soldiers to kill each other. They wanted peaceful civilians and military personnel to die so that in the end Russia is defeated, our society is fractured and choked on the blood of internal strife," Putin said.

Putin stopped short of mentioning Prigozhin by name. Earlier Monday, Prigozhin defended his short-lived insurrection. 

TIMELINE OF WAGNER MERCENARY GROUP'S STANDOFF THAT SHOOT PUTIN'S RUSSIA

The Wagner leader said he wasn’t seeking to stage a coup but was acting to prevent the destruction of his private military company, which has played a key role in the war in Ukraine. 

"We started our march because of an injustice," he said in an 11-minute statement, giving no details about where he was or what his plans were.

Putin’s speech showed the despot trying to project strength to the nation after one of the most significant challenges to his leadership after more than two-and-a-half decades in power. 

Putin said that most Wagner troops are also Russian patriots "loyal to their state" and thanked those who did not participate in the mutiny. 

BIDEN MAKES FIRST PUBLIC COMMENTS ON WAGNER REVOLT IN RUSSIA: ‘WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT’

The Wagner troops, he said, were "being used (in the dark) and they were being directed against their brothers in arms." 

"This is why from the very beginning steps were being taken to avoid bloodshed," Putin said. "We also wanted to give a chance to those who have made a mistake to understand that their actions are rejected by this society and their actions would have resulted in destructive consequences for Russia, they were being dragged into a plot." 

Putin extended an offer to Wagner troops to continue their service to Russia by signing a contract with the Ministry of Defense or return to their families. 

"The promise I gave will be fulfilled. I repeat, the choice is up to you," he said. 

The feud between the Wagner Group leader and Russia's military brass has festered throughout the war, erupting into a mutiny over the weekend when mercenaries left Ukraine to seize a military headquarters in a southern Russian city. They rolled seemingly unopposed for hundreds of miles toward Moscow before turning around after less than 24 hours on Saturday.

BIDEN ADMIN SAYS IT DOESN'T KNOW WHERE WAGNER GROUP LEADER YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN IS AFTER SHORT-LIVED MUTINY

The Kremlin said it had made a deal for Prigozhin to move to Belarus and receive amnesty, along with his soldiers. There was no confirmation of his whereabouts Monday, although a popular Russian news channel on Telegram reported he was at a hotel in the Belarusian capital, Minsk.

Prigozhin taunted Russia's military on Monday, calling his march a "master class" on how it should have carried out the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. He also mocked the military for failing to protect Russia, pointing out security breaches that allowed Wagner to march 500 miles toward Moscow without facing resistance.

The bullish statement made no clearer what would ultimately happen to Prigozhin and his forces under the deal purportedly brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Though the mutiny was brief, it was not bloodless. Russian media reported that several military helicopters and a communications plane were shot down by Wagner forces, killing at least 15. Prigozhin expressed regret for attacking the aircraft but said they were bombing his convoys.

Russian media reported that a criminal case against Prigozhin hasn't been closed, despite earlier Kremlin statements, and some Russian lawmakers called for his head.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 



from Latest World News on Fox News https://ift.tt/Txj6CVe
https://ift.tt/JtB8DEH
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Frenzy of tiger sharks feast on whale carcass off Australian coast

Drone footage captured by rangers shows dozens of tiger sharks feeding on the carcass of a humpback whale off the Australian coast .  The feasting involved some 50 tiger sharks scavenging a humpback whale that died of natural causes and was floating adrift in the Great Sandy Marine Park off Hervey Bay, which is about 180 miles north of Brisbane.  MONTANA MAN SENTENCED TO OVER 3 YEARS FOR TRAFFICKING EAGLE FEATHERS, PARTS The frenzy, captured on video by marine park rangers Sunday afternoon, prompted a warning from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science , reminding people to keep their distance from stranded or deceased marine animals.  "Where there are dead whales, there are likely sharks nearby and this vision clearly shows why this is the case," senior ranger Daniel Clifton told Australia’s news.com.au .  "The death of one whale, although sad, creates a life source for many other scavenging animals, including fish, sharks, and other marine like....
Post a Comment
Read more

Married pilot snorts cocaine off topless woman in booze-fueled romp before flight: report

A British Airways pilot was suspended and eventually fired after he was reported for drinking and using cocaine the night before a return flight to London. Mike Beaton, a pilot with British Airways, had a night off after a flight to Johannesburg last month that he used to indulge in large amounts of alcohol and snort cocaine off the chest of a topless woman, according to a report from the New York Post. Beaton, a married father of one, according to the report, revealed his night of antics to a fellow crew member before a return flight to London, telling her that he had been a "very naughty boy" during an exchange of text messages. BRITISH AIRWAYS INVESTIGATING REPORTS STEWARDESS IS OFFERING SEXUAL SERVICES BETWEEN FLIGHTS The pilot reportedly told the flight attendant in the text exchange that he had met two local men, a Welsh woman and a "young Spanish bird" at a Johannesburg nightclub the night before, when they engaged in hours of drinking and eventually fou...
Post a Comment
Read more

UK's $125M AI chip investment not enough to keep pace in tech race, experts warn: 'Go big or go home'

The United Kingdom has pledged to spend 100 million pounds (or $125.8 million) on buying and developing computer chips necessary for artificial intelligence (AI) systems in a move that seeks to cement Britain as a global leader in the sector, but experts worry it is not enough to match the competitive market.  "The U.K. has a valuable perspective on AI development – sitting between the U.S. free-for-all position and the EU regulatory approach – that makes it the perfect venue for the first international AI global safety conference," Alan Mendoza, co-founder and executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital.  British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak plans to build thousands of high-powered artificial intelligence chips, building on a deal struck between the U.K. and U.S. during his state visit in June when he and President Biden signed the "Atlantic Declaration."  The White House touted the agreement as something that would ensure that the ...
Post a Comment
Read more