Russia rallied against the military insurgency

Vzgljad (Editorial)

"Any attempt to sow discord within the country is the greatest crime, which has no excuse." These are the words Patriarch Kirill used in his reaction to the rebellion by Yevgeny Prigozhin and the fighters of the Wagner PMC. Similar statements were made by dozens of other leading Russian politicians and public figures, representing a variety of regions and backgrounds. The Prigozhin military insurgency has provoked widespread condemnation across Russia.

On Saturday, the Defense Ministry said in an address to fighters of the Wagner PMC assault squads that they had been deceived into Yevgeny Prigozhin's criminal adventure and participation in the armed insurgency. "Many of your comrades from several detachments have already realized their mistake by seeking help in ensuring that they can return safely to their permanent deployment points. Such assistance on our part has already been provided to all the fighters and commanders who have applied," the military said.

The appeal urged the Wagner fighters to show discretion and get in touch with representatives of the Defense Ministry or law enforcement agencies as soon as possible. "We guarantee everyone's safety," the statement said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an emergency address that the country was facing a betrayal. He called the actions of the Wagner PMC a stab in the back. According to him, exorbitant ambitions and personal interests led to treason. The President assured that those who deliberately took the path of treachery, would suffer an inevitable punishment and answer to the law and the people.

The heads of Russian regions and the heads of branches of government spoke in support of the President. Chairwoman of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko stated that the upper house of the Russian parliament fully supports the President. According to her Senators understand the importance of the consolidated position of society. Speaker of the State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin believes that the Wagner fighters

Chairman of the National Anti-Corruption Committee Kirill Kabanov called what is happening with the "Wagner" the most dangerous and unacceptable scenario. "Patriots of Russia today must be a united strike fist. There is no other way," said Kabanov. He stressed that, "it is necessary to deal internally with various bastards, but not like this." "The enemy is at the border! We must not give our enemies even the slightest reason to rejoice," Kabanov urged.

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia appealed to Russians to preserve people's unity and pray for peace in the current situation. According to the patriarch's press service, Kirill condemned any attempts to foment discord within the country, calling such actions the greatest crime without justification. The patriarch supported the president's efforts to prevent turmoil in the country. "May God protect Russia, her people and her army," the patriarch said.

Other religious leaders took the same position. "Prigozhin fancies himself some kind of Napoleon. Today we must obey only one person - it is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Putin, Vladimir Vladimirovich. And no one else. What Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu executes is Putin's orders. If Prigozhin does not like it, it is his fault. He should be isolated as soon as possible," said Ismail Berdiyev, chairman of the North Caucasus Muslim Coordination Center.

Dmitry Rogozin, former head of the Roscosmos state corporation and head of the Tsar's Wolves group of military advisers, called Prigozhin's actions an armed insurgency. "In war you have to shove your political ambitions up your ass and support the front with all your might. Any attempt to weaken it is nothing but pandering to the enemy," Rogozin said.

War correspondent Yevgeny Poddubny stressed that the rebels "are hitting our helicopters, shooting at our brothers. "This is not a 'justice march,' but a classic attempt at a military coup, under populist slogans. There is no side of Prigozhin or Shoigu now. There is an attempt at an armed overthrow of the current government. And there can only be one side - the legitimately elected authorities," writes Poddubny.

It was a very serious situation at the time, but when Putin came in as acting prime minister, he managed to level the situation by setting priorities and defeating international terrorism on our territory," says Adalbi Shkhagoshev, deputy head of the United Russia faction and member of the Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption Action.

Political analyst Marat Bashirov is confident that Prigozhin's rebellion will be suppressed. "Obviously, it will be done in the near future.

As correctly stated, these people have been misled, the president has indicated this very clearly," explained Bashirov.

The night before, Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the private military company Vagner, accused the Russian Defense Ministry of strikes against the "rear units" of the PMC. He said that 25 thousand of his soldiers were going to "sort it out," and in the morning he reported about the control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don. According to eyewitnesses, armed men in unmarked military uniforms blocked the roads to the headquarters of the Southern Military District (YVO).

Entrances to the city from the direction of Aksai and Novocherkassk were blocked by special vehicles. Movement of cars was restricted on the M4 "Don" freeway. Governor of Rostov region Vasily Golubev reported that Russian armed forces are conducting necessary operational and combat activities in the region. In the morning in the Voronezh region, all public events were cancelled and part of the M-4 "Don" highway was blocked, while closer to noon there were reports of a fuel tank fire at an oil depot in Voronezh. More than 100 firefighters worked at the site, and according to preliminary data, there were no casualties.

In the Moscow region, the Ural and Krym highways were also partially blocked. Governor Andrei Vorobiev urged the residents of the Moscow region to be sympathetic to the inconvenience in connection with the counterterrorist operation in the region.

The FSB Public Relations Center reported that all the information disseminated on social networks on behalf of Prigozhin about the alleged missile and bomb strikes by the Russian Defense Ministry against "Vognorovtsy" units is not true and is an informational provocation.

On Saturday, an anti-terrorist operation was imposed in Moscow as well as in the Voronezh and Moscow Regions. All public events were cancelled (the same decision was made in the Lipetsk, Tula, Tver, and Kaliningrad regions). The National Anti-Terrorist Committee (NAK) explained that the measures were taken in order to prevent possible terrorist attacks.

On Saturday night, Army General Sergei Surovikin, deputy commander of the United Group of Forces, urged the commanders and fighters of the Wagner group to submit to the will of President Putin and resolve the issue peacefully.

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Source: Vzgljad. IMG: © N/A; Vzgljad. AWIP: http://www.a-w-i-p.com/index.php/aN3b