After the end of the armed uprising of the Wagner mercenary group, the head of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, signaled his full concentration on the war in Ukraine. The “special military operation” has the highest priority, Putin said in an interview broadcast on Rossiya TV channel on Sunday. “It’s how I start and end my day,” he said. Meanwhile, military bloggers reported that at least 13 army pilots were killed in the mutiny.
In his first public statement after the end of the Wagner uprising, Putin expressed confidence that all plans and tasks related to the military operation in Ukraine would be implemented. He is in constant contact with the Ministry of Defense. As reported by the broadcaster, Putin will participate in the deliberations of the National Security Council this week. It is not yet clear whether the meeting will take place as normal on Friday or whether it will be brought forward.
Internationally, the events showed Putin’s widespread isolation. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported Sunday on the visit of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko to Beijing, but did not mention the dramatic events of the previous days in Russia, which caused an international outcry. However, the Moscow Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that China had expressed its “support” to the Russian leadership in “stabilizing the internal situation” after the events of June 24. North Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Im Chon-il openly supported Russia on Sunday. In a meeting with the Russian ambassador in Pyongyang, he expressed his conviction that “the armed uprising in Russia will be successfully ended”, state news agency KCNA reported.
Helicopter and reconnaissance plane allegedly shot down
Information on the number of fatalities varied between 13 and more than 20 military personnel, as reported on Sunday by the independent Internet portal currenttime. According to bloggers, a total of six helicopters and a reconnaissance plane were shot down by the private army of businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin. There was no confirmation of this from the Russian authorities. Military blog Rybar complained that among the downed helicopters were three Mi-8s used for electronic warfare, which are already missing from the front. In addition, a transport aircraft of the Il-18 type crashed and a command post was installed on board, all crew members died.
Air Force losses are greater than during the Ukrainian counter-offensive at the front. On Saturday, Prigozhin made conflicting statements about clashes with the Russian air force. So he first announced the shooting down of a helicopter. When he later explained his task, he claimed to have ended the uprising without bloodshed.
The armed uprising led by former Putin confidant Yevgeny Prigozhin ended Saturday night with an agreement that Prigozhin would withdraw into exile in Belarus. Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Prigozhin and Wagner’s fighters would not be prosecuted. “In 24 hours we reached 200 km from Moscow,” said Prigozhin, who ordered the fighter jets back to their bases. Wagner’s fighters, who had occupied the southern Russian city of over a million people without resistance the day before, also withdrew from Rostov-on-Don.
Traffic situation between Moscow and Rostov affected
Meanwhile, the traffic situation between Moscow and Rostov remained unsatisfactory. The Moscow area and the Tula area were affected, according to the road authority. In Rostov-on-Don, it was quiet on Sunday morning after the departure of Wagner’s troop, as reported by the Russian state news agency RIA. In his video via Telegram, a man was sweeping the street and cars were driving through the city. On Saturday, photos of Wagner’s troops in war tanks dominated the scene in various parts of the city. As Russian news agency TASS reported, Chechen special forces from the Akhmat group were also withdrawn from the Rostov region on Sunday. They were transferred there to prevent a possible advance by the mercenary group.
According to Peskov, some of the mercenaries are now being offered contracts to serve in the Russian military. According to his own statements, the Belarusian ruler Alexander Lukashenko persuaded Prigozhin to give up his uprising. Prigozhin announced the withdrawal at night and stressed that “not a drop of the blood of our fighters” was spilled. “Now is the time when blood can be shed.” That’s why it’s time to flip the columns.
At first it was not clear whether Prigozhin would be made or at least promised further concessions to prevent his troops from advancing on Moscow. He was long considered a Putin confidant, an untouchable figure in the Russian power structure, until the Kremlin chief called him a “traitor” on Saturday morning – and thus publicly dismissed him. It is also questionable what will become of the foreign missions of Wagner’s army in the future, which represented Russian interests with armed force until the end, especially in Africa.
In Rostov, to applause from the civilian population, Wagner’s fighters gave up their positions and left in military vehicles. According to official information, all roadblocks on access roads around Moscow were lifted on Sunday night.
The power struggle escalated on Saturday night
The months-long power struggle between Prigozhin and the leadership of the Russian army escalated on Saturday night. The 62-year-old accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of ordering an attack on a military camp by Wagner’s troops, thus risking the death of a “large number” of fighters. Prigozhin announced a “Justice March” to punish those responsible. On Saturday, his troops occupied military installations in Rostov-on-Don for the first time. Later it became known that other units marched towards Moscow. According to Prigozhin, the heads of his units were recently only about 200 kilometers from the Russian capital. (apa)