‘Stab in back’: Vladimir Putin vows to crush uprising
Moscow, June 24
President Vladimir Putin vowed Saturday to crush an armed rebellion by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who led his troops out of Ukraine and into a key city south of Moscow.
The uprising, which Putin called “a stab in the back”, was the biggest threat to his leadership in over two decades in power. Russian military helicopters opened fire on a convoy of rebel mercenaries already more than half way towards Moscow in a lightning advance after seizing a southern city overnight.
Whoever chooses path of evil, destroys himself
Everyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself. Who sends troops to destroy lives of another country and cannot stop them from fleeing. Who despises people and throws hundreds into war. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine president
The private army led by Prigozhin appears to control the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, a city 660 miles (over 1,000 kilometres) south of Moscow that runs Russian offensive operations in Ukraine, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said in an intelligence briefing.
As the fast-moving events unfolded in Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow is suffering “full-scale weakness” and that Kyiv was protecting Europe from “the spread of Russian evil and chaos.” In his address, Putin called the uprising by Prigozhin, whom he did not mention by name, a “betrayal” and “treason.” “All those who prepared the rebellion will suffer inevitable punishment,” Putin said. “The armed forces and other government agencies have received the necessary orders.” Prigozhin called himself a patriot.
“Regarding the betrayal of the motherland, the president was deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our homeland,” he said in an audio message on his Telegram channel.
He said his fighters would not turn themselves in at the request of Putin, as “we do not want the country to live on in corruption, deceit and bureaucracy.” Prigozhin’s private military contractor, known as Wagner, has been fighting alongside Russian troops in Ukraine. It wasn’t immediately clear what his aims were, but the rebellion marks an escalation in Prigozhin’s struggle with Russian military leaders, who he has accused of botching the war in Ukraine and hamstringing his forces in the field.
“This is not a military coup, but a march of justice,” Prigozhin said. Prigozhin confirmed Saturday he and his troops reached Rostov-on-Don after crossing the border from Ukraine.
He posted a video of himself at the Russian military headquarters in Rostov and claimed that his forces had taken control of the air field and other military facilities in the city. Other videos posted on social media showed military vehicles, including tanks, on the streets.
“The entire military, economic and information machine of the West is waged against us,” Putin said.
Prigozhin said his aim was to punish Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu after Russian government forces attacked Wagner field camps in Ukraine with rockets, helicopter gunships and artillery.
Prigozhin said he had 25,000 troops under his command and urged the army not to offer resistance. AP
Counter-terrorism regime in Moscow
- Moscow mayor urged people to refrain from trips around the city
- He said a counter-terrorism regime has been declared in the Russian capital
- He said Monday would be a non-working day to minimise risks and ensure safety
- The mayor said the situation was difficult and the locals should stay inside
