from ZeroHedge:
Russian President Vladimir Putin in a Tuesday speech before soldiers and security officers at the Kremlin explained more about the fate of Wagner Group after its weekend armed munity which shocked Russia and the world. While the Wagner chief has been exiled to Belarus, and the treason charges have essentially been forgiven – with the mutiny case closed – he strongly hinted that corruption charges could be on the horizon, given Wagner had received billions in state funds.
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Importantly, the Russian President also stressed that the nation’s armed forces and security services had stopped a “civil war” – which is the first such dramatic reference made by Putin to this worst-case scenario. “You have de-facto stopped the civil war, you acted in a clear and well-coordinated manner in a difficult situation,” Putin said during the ceremony at the Kremlin’s Cathedral Square. “We did not have to remove combat detachments from the special military operation zone” in Ukraine, he said.
He also confirmed that Russian air forces pilots had been killed. Wagner had previously claimed to have shot down helicopters during the Friday through Saturday turmoil, and that the Russian military had fired on its positions and convoys. Subsequent reports in the West tallied six helicopters and a plane that were shot down, but this total hasn’t been confirmed from Moscow. But it’s now been revealed in international reports that at least 12 Russian pilots were killed as Wagner convoys made their way to Moscow Saturday, before the armed “march” was called off. Wagner possesses sophisticated anti-aircraft weapons.
Putin says Russia’s armed forces “essentially stopped a civil war” and did such a good job that Russia didn’t have to remove any units from the war zone in Ukraine.
He holds a minute of silence for the pilots killed in clashes with Wagner. pic.twitter.com/pzNWSvQZo0
— max seddon (@maxseddon) June 27, 2023
Putin says Russia’s armed forces “essentially stopped a civil war” and did such a good job that Russia didn’t have to remove any units from the war zone in Ukraine.
He holds a minute of silence for the pilots killed in clashes with Wagner. pic.twitter.com/pzNWSvQZo0
— max seddon (@maxseddon) June 27, 2023
“The airmen didn’t flinch and performed their orders and military duty with honor,” Putin said, but didn’t reference the exact death toll, and held a moment of silence. He referenced those who rebelled within Wagner as traitors who in the end served the aims of the Ukraine government.
But Putin also said it was good that Wagner Group fighters didn’t allow the mutiny to cause “major bloodshed”. Near in time to Putin’s speech the FSB confirmed it has dropped its criminal investigation into Yevgeny Prigozhin and the uprising because “its participants ceased the activities directly aimed at committing the crime.”
The military has also said the mercenary firm is preparing to hand over its weaponry, after the evening prior Putin said they have the opportunity to sign contracts with the nation’s armed forces, or they can go to Belarus. “There was a desire not to let the worst case scenario happen,” Putin spokesman Dimitry Peskov explained as well. “There were certain promises, the agreements are being realized,” and Putin “always keeps his word,” he said.
