All Those Responsible for Attempted Mutiny to Face Inevitable Punishment, Says Putin

All those responsible for the attempted mutiny will face inevitable punishment, and will be held accountable before the law and the people, Putin said in his address to Russians after the Wagner PMC tried to stage an insurgency.

"All those who deliberately took the path of treason, who prepared an armed uprising, who took the path of insurrection and terrorist methods, will suffer inevitable punishment, will answer to the law and to our people," Putin said.

According to the president, a betrayal of Russia and its people was caused by excessive ambition and personal interests.

"Let us defend both our people and our statehood against all threats, including internal treason - and what we have encountered is precisely this treason. Excessive ambition and personal interests have led to betrayal: betrayal of our country, our people," Putin said.

The head of state added that any strife should be put aside at a time when the fate of the Russian people is being decided, adding that the unity of all forces is necessary.

"This battle, when the fate of our nation is being decided, requires the unity of all forces, unity, consolidation and responsibility, when everything that weakens us must be cast aside, any strife that our external enemies can and do exploit to undermine us from within," the Russian president stressed.

Russia's head of state underlined that as a citizen of Russia he would do everything to defend the country.

"As President of Russia and Commander-in-Chief - as a citizen of Russia - I will do everything to defend the country, to protect the constitutional order, the lives, security and freedom of citizens," he said in his address.

The president added that the armed forces and other state bodies have received the necessary orders, additional anti-terrorist measures are now being taken in Moscow, the Moscow Region and a number of other regions.

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23 June 2023, 21:12

Lessons From History

The Russian authorities will not allow a new split in Russia to happen again and will protect the people, Putin said.

The president recalled the tragic developments in Russia in 1917, when the country was fighting in the First World War.

"We will not let this happen again, we will protect both our people and our statehood from any threats," Putin remarked.

He added that any internal turmoil is "a mortal threat to our statehood, to the nation," pledging tough measures to protect the country from such a threat.

On Friday, the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the Prosecutor General's Office of Russia opened a criminal case against Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin for "provoking an armed insurgency".

Shortly after the development, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that the Kiev regime was amassing several brigades in the Artemovsk direction for an offensive, taking action against Prigozhin's provocation.