The uprising “clearly raises new issues that Putin needs to deal with.” “The fact that there’s someone on the inside who directly challenges Putin’s authority, directly challenges the premises on which he launched this aggression against Ukraine, that in itself is something very, very powerful.” Blinken repeatedly stressed, but also that the uprising, which has since been declared over, is Russia’s “internal matter”.
The administration of US President Joe Biden – like other governments in the West – has previously been reluctant to make public assessments of developments in Russia. According to US media, it was a strategy, as Putin could rig any perceived involvement. When asked if the uprising was the end of Putin’s power, Blinken said: “I don’t want to speculate on that.”
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US intelligence services received early warnings
“Gathering Storm”
Blinken did not explicitly comment on reports that the US government had already been briefed by its secret services on the plans of mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. “I think it’s been no secret to a lot of people for many months now that these tensions were building, that something was brewing” – it was a “coming storm”.
Events in Russia were also the subject of a telephone conversation between US President Biden and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday. In a statement, he called for global pressure to be brought to bear on Russia. From Zelenskyy’s point of view, recent events have revealed a weakness in Putin’s rule.
Guterres calls for “responsible” action
According to the chairman of the EU military committee, Robert Brieger, all scenarios are still possible for Russia. In addition to a consolidation of the previous regime, this likely also included the danger of civil war, according to Brieger, who also recalled in ZIB2 the ongoing Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
Brieger (EU Military Committee) on the situation in Russia
Robert Brieger, Chairman of the EU Military Committee, reviews events in Russia surrounding the end of the Wagner mercenary uprising in Russia.
Internationally, the escalation in Russia was widely met with concern. A German government crisis team met in Berlin on Saturday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz was “continuously” briefed on events and telephoned US President Joe Biden. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell reported on Twitter about an “exchange of views” between the G-7 partners.
According to a broadcast published on Sunday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also followed the recent developments in Russia with concern. At the same time, Guterres called on all parties involved to “act responsibly to avoid further tensions”.
Crisis cabinet meeting in Vienna
In Vienna, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) convened the crisis cabinet on Sunday in view of events in Russia. “The war (Russia against Ukraine, note) clearly bears traces of Russia,” said Nehammer, explaining that everything must be done to end this war. “Protective measures” were also taken in Austria itself, the chancellor said after the meeting.
Crisis cabinet meets on Russia
In view of the power struggle in Russia, Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) has convened the government’s crisis cabinet for Sunday. In Austria, security precautions and surveillance measures are being tightened, especially for Russian or Ukrainian facilities.
Nehammer stressed that Saturday’s events were an internal Russian affair. “The situation in Russia was worrying and remains so to a certain extent,” added Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens).
At the same time, it is clear that in times of uncertainty, the federal government must have a clear position. In addition to Nehammer and Kogler, Minister of the Interior Gerhard Karner (ÖVP), Minister of Defense Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP) and Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP) also attended Sunday’s crisis cabinet meeting. The heads of the three Austrian intelligence services, the State Security and Intelligence Directorate (DSN), the Defense Office and the Army Intelligence Office (HNA), were also represented.
Key topic at EU foreign ministers’ meetings
At EU level, the power struggle in Russia and the possible impact on the war in Ukraine will remain a central theme at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg on Monday. For the European Union, one of the questions that arise is what consequences the struggle for power between Prigozhin and Putin could have on conflicts and wars in other countries.
For example, Prigozhin’s Wagner Group, formerly supported by Putin, has been active in recent years not only in Ukraine, but also in countries such as Mali and Libya. On the regular agenda of the foreign ministers’ meeting is continued EU support for Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is also expected to be connected to the deliberations via video conference.