Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed to punish the Wagner group for “betrayal” and “treason.”
Putin addressed the nation Saturday, after mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin called for armed rebellion and reached a key Russian city with his troops.
Without mentioning Prigozhin by name, Putin vowed to punish those behind the armed mutiny.
He acknowledged that the situation in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, taken by the Wagner, remained difficult.
Prigozhin, owner of the Wagner private military company, has claimed that his forces had military facilities in Russia’s southern city of Rostov-on-Don under their control.
Yevgeny Prigozhin posted a video of himself in Rostov-on-Don at the Russian military headquarters that oversees the fighting in Ukraine. He claimed that his forces had military facilities in the city under their control, including the airfield.
Prigozhin called for a rebellion against the army – although he has denied attempting a coup
“We will destroy anyone who stands in our way,” Prigozhin said in one of a series of angry video and audio recordings posted on social media beginning late Friday. “We are moving forward and will go until the end.”
Russia’s security services responded to Prigozhin’s declaration of an armed rebellion by calling for his arrest. Security was heightened in Moscow, Rostov-on-Don and other regions.
Prigozhin accused the army of launching a deadly attack on his forces in Ukraine, where Wagner troops are fighting for Russia – Moscow denies this.
