The statement said that Russian President Vladimir Putin met with representatives of the military, law enforcement and other law enforcement agencies, “to ensure order and legality during a military insurgency.” Message More than 2.5 thousand people gathered on Cathedral Square, including employees of the Kremlin press office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, SOBR, OMON and other structures.
Before the meeting began, the Kremlin pool RIA Novosti’s Telegram channel described the event as “a new chapter in Kremlin history”.
The Russian president said the Russian military and law enforcement “actually saved the country from civil war”.
“You defended the constitutional order, life, security and freedom of our citizens, you saved our Motherland from riots and effectively stopped the civil war. In a difficult situation, you acted clearly and harmoniously, proved your loyalty and military oath to the people of Russia, and showed responsibility for the fate and future of the Fatherland.
According to him, units of the Ministry of Defense, National Guard, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and special services managed to ensure reliable operation of the most important control centers and strategic facilities, and “there was no need to remove combat units from the NVO zone.”
“The rapid and precise deployment of law enforcement made it possible to stop the extremely dangerous course in the country and prevent civilian casualties,” Putin said.
He also told law enforcement agencies that from May 2022 to May 2023, the Russian government spent 86 billion rubles on the maintenance of Wagner PMC.
“We have always had great respect for the warriors and commanders of this group because they really showed courage and heroism,” said the head of state.
The President called on the Minister of Defense of Russia, Sergei Shoigu, who was present at the meeting, to present the military personnel with state awards for their merits. “I have already told the minister, I want to repeat it once again. Addressing Shoigu, Putin said of those who showed themselves properly in combat work and should form the backbone of the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in the near future and in the future. Novosti).
Finally, Putin called for a minute’s silence in memory of the pilots who died during the rebellion. “They did not get lost and honorably fulfilled the order and their military duties. I ask you to honor their memory by taking a minute’s silence.”
The death of the pilots became officially known the day before – Vladimir Putin announced this in his first short television speech after the rebellion. As military correspondents and Telegram channels wrote a few days ago, several planes and helicopters of the Russian army were shot down by Wagner PMC during an armed uprising.
“We knew we were going to win”
National Guard Director Viktor Zolotov said that Western countries could know “a few weeks before the start” that an armed uprising was being prepared, and could even participate in its preparations.
According to him, there were “information stuffings” from “Prigozhin’s camp”, <…> narrowly focused on the fact that this revolt was being prepared. At the same time, even exact dates were called – June 23-25. “All this indicates that all this was inspired by the West, and Prigozhin himself, apparently, was provoked to this, or maybe his ambitions were overflowing, so to speak, he wanted to rise even higher,” says the head of the National Guard.
He also noted the “good work” of the speechwriters of the Prigozhin team, emphasizing that “everything is very clearly organized there.”
Zolotov also noted that the PMC fighters were advancing rapidly across the country, as they saw no resistance: the main forces to repel the attack were concentrated in the outskirts of the capital.
“We have concentrated all our forces precisely on the outskirts of Moscow, because if we disperse the group, they will stab the butter like a knife,” he explained.
The head of the National Guard was confident that the Wagnerists would be able to reach Moscow, but they would not be able to take the city. “Already when they approached Lipetsk, it became clear to us, we knew that we would win,” he said.
Zolotov recalls that he was “in constant communication with both the president and all heads of federal executive bodies.” The security forces were preparing for any development. Head of the National Guard saidthat he gave his wife a “stash”. Likewise, according to him, all National Guardsmen did, and “then they regretted it.” “It was clear to everyone here, all the staff we have here, that they would all fight to the death,” he explained.
“Go to Belarus”
Also Tuesday afternoon, the Federal Security Service announced the termination of the case against Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner PMC.
The Ministry announced that during the investigation of the criminal case, law enforcement officials found that “on June 24, its participants stopped the actions directed towards committing a crime”, and in connection with this, “On June 27, the investigating authority made a decision to close the criminal case.”
Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov said that Prigozhin will now “go to Belarus.” According to him, the corresponding guarantees were given by President Putin himself.
Alexander Lukashenko has already confirmed that Prigozhin has come to his republic.