Russian President Vladimir Putin declared in his first press conference since Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin threatened to march into Moscow over the weekend that the country has unified in opposition to the insurrection.
In a five-minute address, Putin seemed to reaffirm his agreement to end the hostility, which resulted in Prigozhin moving his fighters to Belarus.
Putin Addresses Citizens After Wagner Mutiny
Putin’s televised statement was his first public response since Saturday, when he indicated the revolt endangered Russia’s existence and that those behind it would be punished.
The Russian President expressed gratitude to the people, servicemen, law enforcement, and security agencies for remaining united in their efforts to preserve “the Fatherland,” saying it demonstrated that Russia will not bend and “that any blackmail, any attempt to stage domestic turmoil is doomed to fail.”
Any attempt to blackmail us and spur internal chaos are doomed – Putin
— RT (@RT_com) June 26, 2023
Vladimir Putin addressed the nation in his first speech since the end of the Wagner insurrection over the weekend.
The president thanked the Russian people for their unity, patriotism and patience. pic.twitter.com/1E9UQ8NH1R
Putin affirmed to the Russian citizens that “all necessary decisions to neutralise the emerging threat and protect the constitutional system, the life and security of our citizens” were taken up by the government from the beginning.
He condemned the Wagner group, saying, “their actions were criminal in nature,” and intended to polarise people and undermine the country, which “is now dealing with an enormous external threat and unprecedented pressure from outside.”
Putin stated that Russia’s enemies in the West wanted this outcome: “They wanted Russian soldiers to kill each other; they wanted the military and civilians to die; they wanted Russia to lose eventually, and our society to break up and perish in a bloody feud.”
The Russian President asserted, “The organisers of this rebellion cannot but understand that they will be brought to justice. Everybody understands that.”
Putin also addressed the condition of troops who did not join the uprising, stating that most Wagner fighters either did not participate in the insurrection or insisted that it be stopped. Those fighters would still be allowed to sign contracts to join the conventional military or go back home, if they so wished.
⚡️Putin says Wagner mercenaries can either work for Russian army or go to Belarus.
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) June 26, 2023
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin said in a speech on June 26 that he would keep his promise to allow Wagner troops to either conclude contracts with Russia's Defense Ministry or move to Belarus.
Putin Sought to Avoid Bloodshed in Russia
Putin stated that he tolerated the weekend mutiny only to avoid bloodshed. “From the very beginning of the events, steps were taken on my direct instruction to avoid serious bloodshed,” he added.
The Russian President asserted that “Time was needed, among other things, to give those who had made a mistake a chance to come to their senses, to realise that their actions were firmly rejected by society, and that the adventure in which they had been involved had tragic and destructive consequences for Russia and for our state.”
Putin Pays Tribute to Russian Pilots
Putin paid tribute to pilots killed in the aborted mutiny and commended the nation for its patriotic unity while acknowledging for the first time that Russian pilots died repelling the Wagner Group’s march on Moscow. “The courage and self-sacrifice of the fallen heroes-pilots saved Russia from tragic, devastating consequences,” he said.
There has been no official confirmation on how many pilots were killed or how many aircraft were shot down. Some Russian Telegram channels evaluating Russia’s military action reported on Saturday that 13 Russian pilots were killed during the day-long mutiny.
Russian President Vladimir Putin paid tribute to pilots killed fighting an aborted mutiny over the weekend, confirming for the first time that Russian aviators had been lost in battle as the Wagner mercenary group marched on Moscow https://t.co/n4t72CR4Fm pic.twitter.com/fckWY73dnx
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 27, 2023
Wagner Chief’s Remarks
Wagner chief Prigozhin, in his 11-minute audio message posted on his Telegram channel, said that he never intended to overthrow the government. “We went as a demonstration of protest, not to overthrow the government of the country,” he clarified.
Prigozhin said on Saturday that he was leaving for Belarus following an agreement mediated by the country’s president, Alexander Lukashenko. On Monday, he stated that Lukashenko had promised to allow Wagner to function inside a legal framework, but he did not elaborate.