Putin: Wagner’s rebellion is treachery, and our response to it will be strict and harsh

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an extraordinary speech broadcast on state television today, Saturday, that the “armed rebellion” of the Wagner Private Military Group is “treason,” and that the response to disobedience and rebellion will be strict and harsh.

Putin added, “We are facing an armed rebellion, and there are those who were deceived into joining it, and this armed rebellion is a stab in the back, and we will defend our state, and confront traitors who seek their personal interests at the expense of the country’s security.”

He announced that he had spoken to the leaders of all military axes after Wagner’s forces entered Rostov Province, and that the situation in Rostov Province was still difficult, adding: “I will do everything in my power as president of the country to defend it, and there is no escape for the rebels and traitors from our punishment.”

Putin said that he would do everything to protect Russia, and that “the rebellion against the people and the fighting comrades is a stab in our back, and today we are facing betrayal of the homeland and the people, and there are those who are trying to push the country towards chaos and civil war, and our response to them will be harsh.”

It is noteworthy that the Russian armed forces have received the necessary orders to neutralize “those who organized the armed rebellion,” and that the security services “have received orders to declare a state of combating terrorism, and strict measures will be taken to restore order in the Rostov province.” This is according to the Russian media.

Putin threatened Wagner’s leader, saying, “Whoever organized the armed rebellion has betrayed Russia and will bear responsibility for that.”

It is noteworthy that the leader of the Wagner Group had called, yesterday, Friday, for an uprising against the leadership of the Russian army, after accusing it of killing a large number of its fighters by bombing their rear positions in Ukraine, an accusation denied by the Russian Ministry of Defense, demanding the fighters of “Yevgeny Prigozhin” to arrest him on charges of calling for a rebellion. armed.