President Putin accuses West of wanting Russian to kill each other in mutiny

MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation on Monday, accusing Ukraine and its Western allies of attempting to incite Russians to “kill each other” during the recent revolt by mercenaries of the Wagner group.

The failed march on Moscow by the rebels had shocked the country over the weekend.

In his televised address, Putin affirmed that he had issued orders to prevent large-scale bloodshed and announced amnesty for the Wagner fighters who staged the mutiny, marking the most significant challenge to his rule in two decades.

“Russia’s enemies, including the neo-Nazis in Kyiv and their Western supporters, along with various national traitors, wanted fratricide among Russian soldiers,” Putin stated, expressing gratitude to the Russian people for their patriotism.

During a meeting with his security officials, which included Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, a prime target of the mutiny, Putin commended their efforts in handling the armed rebellion.

He emphasized that the unity among civilians demonstrated that attempts to blackmail or instigate internal turmoil were doomed to fail.

Putin provided options for the Wagner fighters, stating that they could either join the Russian army, depart for Belarus, or return to their homes.

He encouraged them to continue serving Russia by entering into contracts with the Ministry of Defense or other law enforcement agencies.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Wagner, had previously defended the aborted mutiny as an effort to safeguard his mercenary group and expose failures within Russia’s military leadership.

However, he denied any intentions of challenging the Kremlin.

As the turmoil unfolded, the United States closely monitored the situation.

The National Security Council spokesperson, John Kirby, stated that they had engaged in real-time diplomatic conversations with Russian officials regarding their concerns.

The State Department reiterated that it regarded the situation as an internal Russian affair in which the United States would not involve itself.

In Ukraine, fighting continued as Kyiv’s forces claimed victories in their ongoing battle against Russian troops in the east and south of the country.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, authorities reduced their enhanced security measures.

Prigozhin, in an online audio message of uncertain origin, explained that the revolt aimed to prevent the disbandment of the Wagner force and expose serious security flaws.

He clarified that the objective was not to overthrow the government but to protest.

Prigozhin boasted that his men had successfully blocked military infrastructure, including air bases, along their route towards Moscow.

The advance was ultimately called off, and the Wagner fighters withdrew from the military base they had seized in Rostov-on-Don after mediation efforts by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

Lukashenko was expected to address the situation soon.

The events of Saturday, which reportedly included the downing of Russian helicopters and a command-and-control plane by Wagner, have been perceived as Russia’s most significant security crisis in decades.

The Kremlin emphasized a return to normalcy, with the Wagner headquarters in Saint Petersburg claiming to remain operational, and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov assuring that the firm would continue its operations in Mali and the Central African Republic.

Moscow and the Voronezh region lifted the “anti-terrorist” emergency security measures implemented to protect the capital from rebel assault.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited troops fighting against Russian forces near the city of Bakhmut, commending their progress.

Military leaders reported advances in the south and east of the country, stating that Ukraine was regaining territory.

Residents in the frontline town of Druzhkivka, Donetsk, near Bakhmut, described four overnight explosions that caused damage but resulted in no injuries.

The blasts disrupted water and sewage systems, shattered windows, and caused debris to hit yards and roofs.

Despite the ongoing conflict, Zelensky referred to the day as a “happy day” due to the military progress made by Ukrainian forces.