Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday (24) that he ‘will not let a civil war’ break out in the country. In a televised address, he admitted that the situation is difficult and called for “unity” from the Russian population, accusing the paramilitary group Wagner of “treason.”
(RFI) An anti-terrorist regime was imposed this morning in the Russian capital, Moscow, and in its region. Putin has assured that he has given the “necessary orders” to the army to take back control of the country and says traitors will be punished.
The statement comes after the head of the Wagner paramilitary group, which operates in Ukraine, said he had returned to Russia with his troops. Yevgeny Prigojine says he and his 25,000 men are “ready to die” in their mission to liberate the Russian people.
After accusing the Moscow Army of attacking camps of Wagner militia fighters behind the war front in Ukraine, the leader of these mercenaries claims to have taken Russian headquarters in Rostov in southern Russia. Prigojine has called his men to a revolt against the Russian military command.
The Kremlin security services accuse the Wagner militia chief of calling for civil war and have opened an investigation against Yevgeni Prigojine, according to the Tass news agency.
The Russian Defense Ministry denied attacking the Wagner group and called the accusations a “provocation,” calling on militia fighters to lay down their arms.
The leaders of the two chambers of the Russian Parliament expressed their support for President Vladimir Putin, who is facing an armed rebellion by the Wagner paramilitary group. “The deputies of the State Duma support the consolidation of forces and President Vladimir Putin, the commander-in-chief,” Lower House Speaker Viacheslav Volodin said via Telegram. “The strength” of Russia lies in “unity and our historical intolerance of betrayals and provocations,” added upper house speaker Valentina Matvienko.
Militia Will Not Surrender
Yevgeni Prigojine reacted by saying that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is deeply mistaken” in accusing the fighters of the Wagner paramilitary group of “treason.” He ruled out a surrender of their forces. “As far as “treason of the Fatherland” is concerned, the president is deeply mistaken. We are patriots,” Prigojine said in an audio message. “No one is planning to surrender at the request of the president, the security services or anyone else,” he added.
Overnight, there was another massive attack by Russia against Kiev.
The Ukrainian Air Force reports shooting down 41 cruise missiles targeting the capital, but also other cities like Kharkiv and Dnipro. Two drones were intercepted, according to Ukrainian authorities.
This morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with his Belarus ally Alexander Lukashenko.
On the Ukrainian side, an aide to President Volodymyr Zelensky judged that “this is only the beginning of division among the elites in Russia.”
Other Reactions
Denmark is hosting on Saturday a meeting organized by Ukraine and bringing together representatives of several countries, including some that remained neutral after the Russian invasion, to discuss the establishment of a lasting peace.
In France, President Emmanuel Macron says he is “closely following the situation” and remains “focused on helping Ukraine.”
Berlin and the European Union also say they are closely following events, maintaining “contact” with G7 powers.
In an interview with the BBC, the head of the British government, Rishi Sunak, called for “all parties to be responsible and protect civilians.”
In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that these events “show how aggression against Ukraine also causes instability” in Russia.