Wagner Mutiny Attempt Can't Affect Russia's Relations With African Nations: Lavrov

There was no panic in Africa in relation to armed mutiny by the head of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday, adding that June 24 events will not affect Russia-Africa relations.

"I did not see any panic. I did not see any changes in the relations of the relevant African countries with Russia," Lavrov said in an interview with Russian media outlet RT.

The top Russian diplomat stressed that such events can not affect strategic relations between Moscow and its African partners. He added that preparations for the Russia-Africa summit are well underway, with interesting new items added to the agenda of the event.

In particular, he mentioned cooperation between Russia and the Central African Republic (CAR), noting that Russian military instructors will continue their work in the country. According to the minister, as of now, several hundred people from Russia are working in CAR.

Lavrov stated that the Central African Republic is one of those countries whose government, along with Mali, officially requested help from the private military company, when both "were abandoned by the French and other Europeans," who reduced the presence of anti-terrorist contingents there, closing their military bases.

"Under these conditions, when they were left face-to-face with bandits, both the CAR and Mali turned to the Wagner private military company with a request to ensure the safety of their leadership. In addition to relations with this PMC, the governments of both countries have official contacts with our leadership. At their request, several hundred servicemen are working in the CAR as instructors. This work, of course, will be continued," he said.

However, the minister also noted that those countries of the Sahel region, which turned to Russia to improve security, are currently under the threat caused by the West's destruction of Libya.

Support & Solidarity From Russia's Partners

He further elaborated that many foreign partners have declared their solidarity to Russia during phone conversations when discussing the armed mutiny by the head of the Wagner Group, Evgeny Prigozhin.

"Numerous calls to [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin, which were used by his colleagues to express solidarity, support, confidence that the situation will be under control, that it will be returned to the constitutional field, as, in fact, it turned out. I also had several phone conversations at the initiative of my foreign colleagues. Many of them expressed the same thoughts: solidarity [...]. We were asked not to talk about their calls publicly, so we try not to do this," Lavrov said.

Many leaders from over the world expressed their solidary and support to the Russian president and the Russian people amid the Saturday events. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel wrote on Twitter that his country is "convinced that unity and constitutional order will prevail." Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro also expressed support to Russia and its government.

Moreover, President Putin held phone conversations with several leaders, including those of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Turkiye. The president briefed his counterparts on the situation in the country regarding the armed mutiny.

American Media Claims US Intelligence Knew About Prigozhin's Planned Mutiny in Mid-June

25 June 2023, 11:36

West's 'Wishful Thinking'

Lavrov also touched upon the topic of how the events were covered by Western media outlets. In particular, he pointed out that Western media apparently indulged in "wishful thinking," covering the events around the situation with Wagner's mutiny.

The minister referred to reports claiming that the US had allegedly been informed in advance of Prigozhin's upcoming rebellion but decided not to tell anyone about it.

"This was probably wishful thinking, there is such a way to convey what our Western colleagues experienced yesterday and Saturday evening. I got acquainted with how events in Russia are covered," Lavrov suggested.

On Saturday, French President Emmanuel Macron said that Paris was closely watching the situation in Russia, but remained focused on supporting Ukraine. The Russian foreign minister commented on this statement, saying that his recent remark about the mutiny by Prigozhin indicated that he clearly saw a chance to realize the threat of the West inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia.

"I think [everyone] will understand the position advocated by Macron, who clearly sees the current development of events as a chance to realize the threat, like a mantra repeated by NATO leaders, that Ukraine inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. Naturally, not Ukraine, but the entire Western camp," the minister stated.

On Friday, the Russian FSB opened a criminal case for inciting armed mutiny over statements made on behalf of Prigozhin. It was noted that there was a threat of escalation on Russian territory. The Russian Defense Ministry said that social media reports of alleged Russian military strikes on PMC Wagner camps were not true.

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered a televised address to the nation on Saturday in which he described the actions of the Wagner Group PMC as an armed mutiny and treason, and promised harsh measures against the insurgents.

Later in the day, the Belarusian presidential office said that Prigozhin had accepted Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's proposal to stop the movement of Wagner troops in Russia and to take further steps to de-escalate the situation. Prigozhin later confirmed the information, saying that the Wagner troops were returning to their field camps.