Vladimir Putin in an emergency speech called the actions of Yevgeny Prigozhin a betrayal and betrayal of the country, the people and the fighters of the Wagner PMC. He promised that all who embarked on the path of rebellion "will suffer inevitable punishment."
“Internal turmoil is a mortal threat to our statehood. And our actions will be tough. All those who consciously embarked on the path of betrayal will suffer inevitable punishment. They will answer before the law and before our people. The armed forces have received appropriate orders,” Putin said.
He also added that "decisive actions will be taken to stabilize the situation in Rostov-on-Don." According to him, the situation there "remains difficult – the work of civil and military authorities is practically blocked."
Putin did not mention Prigozhin's name in his appeal, but he did mention the "heroes of Wagner". He called on the Wagnerites to "stop participating in criminal activities."
Putin also drew a parallel with 1917, when a revolution took place in Russia at the height of the First World War, after which the collapse of the army and the state began, and then a civil war. “Then they stole our victory in the war, dragged us into chaos and anarchy. We will not let this happen again,” he said.
Meanwhile, Reuters, citing a source in the Russian special services, reports that the Wagner PMC occupied military facilities in Voronezh. The agency emphasizes that it cannot independently verify this information. Earlier it was reported that a convoy of military equipment was moving in the direction of Voronezh.
In Voronezh, as well as on the territory of Moscow and the Moscow Region, a counter-terrorist operation regime has been introduced . The authorities of the Tula region announced a temporary restriction of transit travel in the region from the Moscow and Lipetsk regions.
Earlier, a video was published showing Wagner PMC mercenaries entering the headquarters of the Southern Military District of the RF Armed Forces in Rostov-on-Don. It also shows a conversation between the head of the Wagnerites, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and Deputy Minister of Defense, Colonel General Yunus-Bek Yevkurov.