Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Medvedev said that Wagner's rebellion was a carefully calculated plan to seize power.
"With such a level of preparation and ability to coordinate actions and deploy troops professionally, it can be said that the rebellion was a carefully calculated military plan with the participation of individuals who served in Russia's elite forces, or foreign experts," Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council, told the media on June 24, referring to the Wagner private military force.
The statement was made by Mr. Medvedev after Wagner sent thousands of troops from the Ukrainian battlefield to the Russian border, divided into many groups to control military facilities in the south, then headed to the capital Moscow, forcing Russian authorities to deploy anti-terrorism measures to deal with it.
Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev. Photo: TASS
"This is clearly a well-prepared campaign to seize power in Russia," Medvedev added, saying that the accusations made by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin against the Russian military were "baseless" and "nonsense."
Prigozhin has previously repeatedly criticized the Russian Defense Ministry, accusing regular forces of "failing to fulfill their combat mission in Ukraine" and military commanders of "incompetence." Before sending troops to the Russian border, Prigozhin accused the Defense Ministry of airstrikes on Wagner's training camp, killing many people. The Russian military denied the accusations.
"We are well aware of the potential consequences of a coup in a nuclear power. In the history of mankind, there has never been a situation where the largest nuclear arsenal fell into the hands of rebels. Such a crisis would push the world to the brink of destruction," Mr. Medvedev stressed. "We cannot allow such a scenario to happen."
The Wagner rebellion is considered the biggest crisis Russia has faced in decades. Gunmen under Prigozhin entered the city of Rostov-on-Don, the capital of Rostov Oblast, took control of the headquarters of Russia's Southern Military District, and threatened to "punish" the defense minister.
The Russian Security Service (FSB) has prosecuted Prigozhin on charges of "inciting rebellion" for calling on Wagner forces to fight against the Ministry of Defense.
In a speech at noon on June 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin called the Wagner rebellion an act of treason. The Russian Defense Ministry called on the group's gunmen to abandon Prigozhin, promising to ensure their safety.
However, Prigozhin declared that he and his gunmen would not surrender. Wagner forces then entered the cities of Voronezh and Lipetsk south of Moscow, prompting Russia to launch an anti-terrorist operation there to deal with them.
Wagner forces on the streets of Rostov-on-Don, capital of Rostov region, Russia, June 24. Photo: AFP
On the evening of June 24, Prigozhin suddenly ordered Wagner members who were heading to Moscow to turn back and return to their barracks to "avoid bloodshed". In the early morning of April 25, the Kremlin announced that Prigozhin would be granted immunity from prosecution and guaranteed to leave Russia for Belarus, and that Wagner members who participated in the "uprising" would not be prosecuted.
Wagner soldiers withdrew from the city of Rostov-on-Don after Prigozhin's orders, ending the rebellion. It is unclear what will happen to Wagner after the incident, but the Kremlin said that some Wagner members who refused to join the rebellion may be contracted by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Duc Trung (According to TASS, Reuters )
Source link
Comment (0)