'Russia will have new president soon,' says mercenary Wagner Group
Russia's powerful mercenary group Wagner on Saturday reportedly said that Russian President Vladimir Putin "made the wrong choice" during his latest speech, claiming the country will soon have a new premier. This comes soon after Putin vowed to crush the armed rebellion by Wagner mercenaries in a televised emergency address. The president called the rebellion by Wagner a backstabbing of the country's military.
Why does this story matter?
Earlier, a high alert was issued in Russia after Wagner Group launched a rebellion claiming to capture some military bases. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has accused Moscow of launching missiles against his forces. Notably, it is a private mercenary army that has fought alongside Russia's regular army in Ukraine. Wagner is said to have played a crucial part in Russia's seizure of Ukraine's Bakhmut.
Putin is deeply mistaken: Wagner chief
In response to Putin's address accusing Wagner of treason, the group reportedly rejected the Russian president's statement saying that they were patriots. "Regarding the betrayal of the motherland, the president was deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our motherland," said Wagner chief Prigozhin. He reportedly said Russia would soon have a new president as the mercenaries moved closer to Moscow to capture it.
Wagner Group blames Russian military for soldier deaths
Earlier, Prigozhin aimed his rage at Russia, vowing to depose the country's military leadership, whom he blamed for the alleged deaths of his soldiers. However, Putin had described the Wagner Group's action as a treacherous betrayal that dealt a crippling blow to the country's military. Wagner's chief had pledged to "go all the way" to destabilize the country's military leadership.
Putin updates Belarus President about situation, Chechen leader offers support
Soon after the Wagner challenge came to the fore, Putin reportedly spoke to his close ally, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and informed him about the developments, as per state media. Meanwhile, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said on Saturday that his forces were ready to help put down the mutiny by Wagner mercenaries and even use harsh methods if necessary.
European countries react to situation in Russia
Several European countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Poland, have reacted to the developments in Russia. The UK's defense ministry earlier said that the Russian state was facing its "greatest security challenge of recent times" after the Wagner Group's rebellion. While Germany said it was closely watching the situation in Russia, Poland's President Andrzej Duda held consultations about the development.
