Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an emergency televised address to the nation on Saturday, has accused Wagner Group of “treason” and said that anyone who had taken up arms against the Russian military would be punished.
Putin's address came amid escalating tensions between Wagner forces led by Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Russian forces in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. Russia has accused him of armed mutiny, and has called for his arrest. Wagner forces have claimed that they are now in control of military facilities in two Russian cities, including Rostov-on-Don.
Putin called Prigozhin's actions, without referring to the owner of the Wagner private military company by name, “a betrayal and a treason".
He condemned the rebellion at a time when Russia was fighting the toughest battle for its future with its war in Ukraine. “The entire military, economic and information machine of the West is waged against us,” Putin said.
“This battle, when the fate of our people is being decided, requires the unification of all forces, unity, consolidation and responsibility. An armed rebellion at a time like this is a blow to Russia, to its people,” the president said.
“Those who plotted and organised an armed rebellion, who raised arms against his comrades-in-arms, betrayed Russia. And they will answer for it,” Putin said.
In an audio recording posted on Telegram, Prigozhin said Wagner fighters had entered Rostov-on-Don. The dramatic escalation of the infighting began with Prigozhin accusing the Russian army of carrying out a missile strike against his forces which killed many of his men. The Russian defence ministry, however, denied these allegations, and accused Prigozhin of inciting mutiny.
On Saturday, BBC reported the Wagner boss also posted a fresh message on the Telegram claiming that his forces have shot down a Russian helicopter.
“We will destroy anyone who stands in our way,” Prigozhin had 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.”
In a sign of how seriously the Kremlin took the threat, security was heightened in Moscow, Rostov-on-Don and other regions.
