Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Saturday, vowed to crush what he called an armed mutiny after the private army of mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin seized control of two cities, Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh, to oust the military leadership.
In his address to the nation, Putin called the armed mutiny by Wagner mercenaries a ‘stab in the back’ and said that the group’s chief, Prigozhin, had ‘betrayed’ Russia.
“This is a stab in the back to our country, to our nation… What we have been faced with is exactly betrayal. Extravagant ambitions and personal interests led to treason,” he said.
Here’s what foreign governments spoke about the development:
* President of Poland Andrzej Duda wrote on Twitter, “In connection with the situation in Russia, this morning we held consultations with the prime minister and the ministry of defence, as well as with allies… The course of events beyond our eastern border is monitored on an ongoing basis.”
* Meanwhile, the Spokesperson of the government of Germany said, “We are monitoring events in Russia closely.”
* The British defence ministry said, “Over the coming hours, the loyalty of Russia’s security forces, and especially the Russian National Guard, will be key to how this crisis plays out. This represents the most significant challenge to the Russian state in recent times.”
* “We stay focused on the support to Ukraine,” the French Presidential Office said.
* “Prime Minister Meloni is closely following events in Russia, which show that its assault on Ukraine is causing instability within Russia,” Italian PM Georgia Meloni’s office said in its statement.
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