Prigozhin & PMC Wagner’s Armed Mutiny – President Putin’s speech and transcript

Last evening, while I was shutting down computers and getting ready for an evening’s rest, the absolute shock came down.  Armed insurrection or Mutiny by PMC Wagner in Russia.  An armed Wagner (or part of it) convoyed to Rostov-on-Don, and Prigozhin directly challenged the Russian senior military leaders, Shoigu and Gerasimov.  This was shortly after the announcement that Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and Prosecutor General’s Office had launched a criminal case against Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin for attempting to incite an armed uprising.

I don’t need to say that internal strife in Russia has been as they say “the wet dream of the west”.  Like Andrei Martyanov, I think that either Prigozin is highly likely the asset of Ukie-NATO axis, or he was simply turned.  President Putin refers to ‘unrestrained ambition’.  This is not a coincidence, the timing is not a coincidence and the assault on the Russian military brass is not coincidental.  Prigozin, from hero to zero and PMC Wagner, the hero worship is over.

This event will circle out.  It gives Russia the opportunity to strengthen security in many directions, but will also have an effect on Russia’s friends and cause questions to be asked about real internal stability.  The Optics! are not good.

But it is early days.  President Putin took control immediately, within hours and unrestrained speculation would probably be as bad as unrestrained ambition.

Since then, security in Moscow and other regions has been tightened, Rostov-on-Don is calm according to Russian reporters, and President Putin made a clear speech saying that the Russian State and he personally will not allow a division in the country.  He referred to Russia in 1917, “when the country was fighting in World War I. But the victory was stolen from it: intrigues, squabbles, and politicking behind the backs of the army and the nation turned into the greatest turmoil, the destruction of the army and the collapse of the state, and the loss of vast territories, ultimately leading to the tragedy of the civil war.”

Wagner’s building in St Petersburg is surrounded, and massive gatherings may not take place at this moment.   Certain Russian areas implemented anti-terrorist operations and will stay on a ready footing.

The first two alarming messages came from the Russian Ministry of Defense:

https://t.me/mod_russia_en/8047 RuMod:

All the messages and videos spread in social networks on behalf of E. Prigozhin about the alleged ‘strike’ of the Russian Ministry of Defence against the ‘rear camps of the Wagner PMC’ are untrue and are an informational provocation.   The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to carry out combat tasks on the line of contact with the AFU in the area of the special military operation.

https://t.me/mod_russia_en/8047 RuMod:

The Deputy Commander of the Joint Group of Forces General of the Army Sergei Surovikin to the leadership, commanders and fighters of the Wagner PMC

▫️’I have just come from the frontline, where our troops, our commanders, our soldiers, our fighters, volunteers are carrying out the task, fighting the enemy to the death, with the superior forces of the enemy, suffering losses, but standing on their positions.

▫️I appeal to the leadership, to the commanders and fighters of the Wagner PMC. Together with you we have passed a difficult, hard way, we have fought together, taken the risks, suffered losses, we have won together. We are the same blood, we are warriors.

▫️I call you to stop. The enemy is only waiting for our domestic political situation to deteriorate. We must not play into the hands of the enemy at this difficult time for the country.

▫️Before it is too late, we must do something – we must obey the will and order of the President of the Russian Federation, who was elected by the people, we must stop the columns, return them to their permanent bases and areas of concentration, and solve all the problems only peacefully, under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation’.

President Putin’s speech is readily available in most Russian news outlets.  What I suggest, is that even if you only read the transcript or watch the video below, take a look at one of the Russian videos, to get a sense of his anger.   It does not translate through the English voiceover.

Comments from Ramzan Kadyrov:

Friends, the night turned out to be difficult and the flights did not give me time to voice here my position on this vile betrayal!

Everything that happens is a KNIFE IN THE BACK and a real military mutiny!

I have repeatedly warned that war is not the time to voice personal grievances and resolve disputes in our rear. The rear must always be calm and reliable. Imagine how the guys in the trenches feel now, in the face of which there is an enemy, and behind their backs a treacherous adventure. We are talking about stability, about the cohesion of the state, about the security of citizens.

History shows that such actions can lead to bloody consequences. We have few losses in the SMO? We still have to create problems within the country?

We have a Supreme Commander-in-Chief, elected by the people, who knows the whole situation to the smallest detail better than any strategist, and even more so a businessman, calls the commanders “on the ground” himself and fully controls the course of the SMO. And the decisions of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief are taken in a balanced and scrupulous manner. Each of us sees only one part of the map, and he sees everything at once! And Vladimir Vladimirovich quite rightly noted in his address to the nation – this is a military rebellion! There is no excuse for such actions!

I fully support every word of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin!

I appeal to the fighters – patriots of our Motherland. Do not fall for provocations. Whatever goals you are given, no matter what promises you are told – the security of the state and the cohesion of Russian society at such a moment is above all else! See how our enemies in the West are taking advantage of this situation. How many stuffing, how many lies, how many false appeals that frighten our citizens, create the danger of a destabilizing situation. And these are the expected consequences of Prigozhin’s treacherous march.

What is happening is not an ultimatum to the Ministry of Defense. This is a challenge to the state, and against this challenge it is necessary to rally around the national leader: the military, security forces, governors, and the civilian population.

The fighters of the Ministry of Defense and the Russian Guard in the Chechen Republic have already left for the zones of tension. We will do everything to preserve the unity of Russia and protect its statehood!

The rebellion must be crushed, and if this requires harsh measures, then we are ready!

Comments from Dmitry Medvedev:

Now the most important thing to defeat the external and internal enemy, who is hungry to tear our Motherland, to save our state is to rally around the President, the Supreme Commander of the country’s armed forces. Split and betrayal – [it is]the path to the greatest tragedy, a universal catastrophe. We won’t allow it. The enemy will be defeated! Victory will be ours!

President Putin’s speech

Transcript:

I am addressing citizens of Russia, the personnel of the Armed Forces, law enforcement agencies and security services, and the soldiers and commanders who are now fighting in their combat positions, repulsing enemy attacks and doing it heroically – I know this as I spoke once again with the commanders of all sections of the frontline last night. I am also addressing those who were dragged into this criminal adventure through deceit or threats and pushed onto the path of a grave crime – an armed mutiny.

Today, Russia is waging a tough struggle for its future, repelling the aggression of neo-Nazis and their patrons. The entire military, economic and informational machine of the West is directed against us. We are fighting for the lives and security of our people, for our sovereignty and independence, for the right to be and remain Russia, a state with a thousand-year history.

This battle, when the fate of our nation is being decided, requires consolidation of all forces. It requires unity, consolidation and a sense of responsibility, and everything that weakens us, any strife that our external enemies can use and do so to subvert us from within, must be discarded.

Therefore, any actions that split our nation are essentially a betrayal of our people, of our comrades-in-arms who are now fighting at the frontline. This is a knife in the back of our country and our people.

A blow like this was dealt to Russia in 1917, when the country was fighting in World War I. But the victory was stolen from it: intrigues, squabbles and politicking behind the backs of the army and the nation turned into the greatest turmoil, the destruction of the army and the collapse of the state, and the loss of vast territories, ultimately leading to the tragedy of the civil war.

Russians were killing Russians and brothers were killing brothers, while all sorts of political adventurers and foreign forces profited from the situation by tearing the country apart to divide it.

We will not allow this to happen again. We will protect our people and our statehood from any threats, including from internal betrayal.

What we are facing is essentially a betrayal. Inflated ambitions and personal interests have led to treason – treason against our country, our people and the common cause which Wagner Group soldiers and commanders were fighting and dying for shoulder to shoulder, together with our other units and troops. The heroes who liberated Soledar and Artyomovsk, towns and villages in Donbass, fought and gave their lives for Novorossiya and the unity of the Russian world. Their memory and glory have also been betrayed by those who are attempting to stage a revolt and are pushing the country towards anarchy and fratricide – and ultimately, towards defeat and surrender.

Once again, any internal revolt is a deadly threat to our statehood and our nation. It is a blow to Russia, to our people. Our actions to defend the Fatherland from this threat will be harsh. All those who have consciously chosen the path of betrayal, planned an armed mutiny and taken the path of blackmail and terrorism, will inevitably be punished and will answer before the law and our people.

The Armed Forces and other government agencies have received the necessary orders. Additional counterterrorism measures are now in effect in Moscow, the Moscow Region and several other regions. Resolute action will also be taken to stabilise the situation in Rostov-on-Don. It remains difficult; in effect, the work of civil and military authorities has been blocked.

As the President of Russia and Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and as a citizen of Russia, I will take every effort to defend the country and protect the constitutional order as well as the lives, security and freedom of our citizens.

Those who staged the mutiny and took up arms against their comrades – they have betrayed Russia and will be brought to account. I urge those who are being dragged into this crime not to make a fatal and tragic mistake but make the only right choice: to stop taking part in criminal actions.

I am certain that we will preserve and defend what we hold dear and sacred, and together with our Motherland we will overcome any hardships and become even stronger.