What world leaders say so far on Wagner Group chief’s rebellion in Russia – National | 24CA News
Wagner Group mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claims that his troops entered the southern Russian metropolis of Rostov-on-Don and not using a single shot and says that nobody was killed throughout what he calls a “march of justice.”
Prigozhin stated in a brand new audio assertion on Saturday that “we didn’t touch a single conscript, we didn’t kill a single person on our way.” He added that the Russian air drive focused his troops, however they nonetheless managed to grab navy headquarters in Rostov “without a single gunshot.”
His claims couldn’t be independently verified. The Russian authorities haven’t reported any casualties thus far, both.
Shortly earlier than Prigozhin launched his assertion, an explosion was heard close to the navy headquarters his Wagner group apparently controls in Rostov. It was not instantly clear the place the explosion occurred, how massive it was and whether or not it brought about any harm.
Putin has referred to as the armed rise up by mercenary chief a betrayal and vowed to punish its leaders.
Prigozhin, the mercenary chief urging an rebellion, has lengthy ties to Putin.
Foreign ministers from the G7 mentioned the matter Saturday morning, Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly tweeted, and urged Canadians in Russia to “please observe our travel advisory and safety instructions.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau additionally stated he has been briefed, and that the nation’s Incident Response Group will probably be assembly later Saturday.
“We’re in contact with our allies and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” he stated.
Early Saturday, Estonia’s prime minister stated her nation has stepped up border safety following the armed rise up in neighboring Russia.
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, whose nation is a powerful backer of Ukraine and has tense relations with Russia, wrote on Twitter that Estonia is “closely following” developments and exchanging data with allies.
She wrote: “I can assure that there is no direct threat to our country. Border security has been strengthened.”
Britain’s defence ministry has described the armed rise up as essentially the most vital problem to the Russian state in current occasions.
The ministry’s intelligence replace posted Saturday says that the feud between Yevgeny Prigozhin’s group and the Russian state has “escalated into outright military confrontation”
“In Rostov-on-Don, Wagner has almost certainly occupied key security sites, including the HQ which runs Russia’s military operations in Ukraine,” the replace stated. “Further Wagner units are moving north through Voronezh Oblast, almost certainly aiming to get to Moscow.”
The replace says there’s very restricted proof of combating between Wagner and Russian safety forces.
“Over the coming hours, the loyalty of Russia’s security forces, and especially the Russian National Guard, will be key to how the crisis plays out,” it stated.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock tweeted that her nation has been “watching the developments in Russia very attentively since yesterday evening” and is in shut contact with companions.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zekenskyy says it’s clear that Russia is affected by “full-scale weakness” after Prigozhin launched an armed rise up.
Zelenskyy stated in feedback posted on his Telegram channel Saturday that “anyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself.”
He stated that “for a long time, Russia used propaganda to mask its weakness and the stupidity of its government. And now there is so much chaos that no lie can hide it.”
“Russia’s weakness is obvious. Full-scale weakness,” Zelenskyy stated. “And the longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on our land, the more chaos, pain and problems it will have for itself later. This is also obvious.”
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni says she is monitoring occasions in Russia and so they underline “how the aggression against Ukraine is provoking instability within the Russian Federation.”
Meloni stated in feedback to reporters in Austria later Saturday that the scenario in Russia is difficult to judge.
She stated that “it is a very chaotic situation inside the Russian Federation, that is out of tune with certain propaganda we have seen in recent months.”
Prigozhin on Saturday denied allegations by Putin that he’s betraying his nation and referred to as his fighters patriots.
He stated his fighters wouldn’t flip themselves in on the request of Putin, as “we do not want the country to live on in corruption, deceit and bureaucracy.”
Putin stated in televised handle to the nation earlier Saturday that “all those who prepared the rebellion will suffer inevitable punishment.”
He stated that “the armed forces and other government agencies have received the necessary orders.”
Face masks depicting Russian President Vladimir Putin, proper, proprietor of personal navy firm Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin, centre, and Chechnya’s regional chief Ramzan Kadyrov, left, are displayed amongst others on the market at a memento store in St. Petersburg, Russia, Sunday, June 4, 2023.
AP Photo
Officials throughout Russia have thus far rallied behind Putin, publicly reiterating their allegiance to the Kremlin and urging Prigozhin to again down.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s decrease home of parliament, the State Duma, stated that lawmakers “stand for the consolidation of forces” and assist Putin after his handle to the nation on Saturday.
He added that fighters from Prigozhin’s Wagner Group “must make the only right choice: to be with their people, on the side of the law, to protect the security and future of the Motherland, to follow the orders of the Commander-in-Chief.”
Maria Zakharova, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, stated in a Telegram put up that “we have one commander in chief. Not two, not three. One. And he urged everyone to unite.”
Ramzan Kadyrov, the chief of the Chechen Republic who previously has sided with Prigozhin in his criticism of the navy management, additionally expressed his full assist for “every word of” Putin. He stated that “the mutiny needs to be suppressed.”
So far, no Russian official has spoken out in assist of Prigozhin.
But sudden assist for his endeavor got here from exiled tycoon turned opposition chief Mikhail Khodorkovsky.
Khodorkovsky stated in a Facebook put up that Prigozhin’s rise up is “the strongest blow to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s reputation,” and that serving to him get to Moscow can be “helping our country.”
He stated Prigozhin had “repeated word for word what we, the anti-war opposition, have been saying since the beginning of the war” — that the “purpose of the war is theft” and nobody believes within the official motive for the warfare in Ukraine.
Khodorkovsky wrote: “Help the devil, if he decides to oppose this regime! Help because there is no crime worse than unleashing an aggressive war. If one criminal is ready to interfere with another … we need to help, and then, if necessary, we will tackle them.”
A Ukrainian presidential adviser says that the beginning of his nation’s counteroffensive has “finally destabilized the Russian elites” and intensified inside splits.
Mykhailo Podolyak stated Saturday that occasions are “developing according to the scenario that we have been talking about for the past year,” Ukraine’s Interfax news company reported.
He added: “Today we are actually witnessing the beginning of a civil war.”
