MINSK: Belarus said on Saturday that Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko after the head of Wagner announced he was turning around his men.
“Alexander Lukashenko informed Putin in detail regarding the results of talks with head PMC Wagner,” Lukashenko’s press office said in a statement, saying the Russian President “thanked his Belarusian counterpart.”
The head of the rebel Wagner threatened to march on Russia’s capital city Moscow on Saturday before saying a pull-back, adding they (Wagner) did not want to spill blood.
In a statement, the head of Russia’s Lipetsk region said that they were lifting restrictions following the Wagner forces march stopped.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to crush the revolt and prevent the country from descending into civil war as rebel mercenaries from the Wagner private military force advanced toward Moscow after seizing a strategic military base.
The escalating events present the most significant challenge to Putin’s rule and mark Russia’s most severe security crisis since he assumed power in 1999.
While Putin’s spokesperson emphasized that the president remained in the Kremlin and had not fled Moscow, regular Russian forces initiated a “counter-terrorist operation” in the Voronezh region to halt the rebel advance along the route towards the capital. The governor of the Lipetsk region, located just 420 kilometers (260 miles) south of Moscow, confirmed that Wagner forces were moving through the area and urged residents to stay indoors.
Amid the turmoil, Ukrainian leaders viewed the internal strife within Russia as an opportunity for their own counteroffensive against Russian forces on Ukrainian territory. A deputy defense minister described it as a “window of opportunity” for Kyiv’s efforts to drive out Russian troops.
Wagner Claims Control of Rostov-on-Don
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Wagner and a former close ally of Putin, claimed that his troops had gained control of the military command center and airbase in Rostov-on-Don, a crucial city in Russia’s offensive in Ukraine. Prigozhin vowed to topple Moscow’s top military leaders, asserting that his forces had taken the headquarters without firing a single shot. He alleged that local civilians supported their operation and denied killing any soldiers despite facing artillery strikes and helicopter attacks.
In a televised address responding to the challenge, Putin accused Prigozhin of betraying Russia and described it as a grave threat to the country’s existence. The situation remains highly volatile as rebel mercenaries move closer to Moscow and Putin’s government launches efforts to quell the revolt and maintain control. The outcome of this critical juncture will have significant implications for the future of Russia and its leadership.
