The statement described a meeting where Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with representatives from the military, law enforcement, and related security agencies, emphasizing the aim to restore order and legality amid a rising military insurrection. More than 2,500 people gathered on Cathedral Square, including staff from the Kremlin press office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, SOBR, OMON, and other security structures.
Prior to the session, the Kremlin pool channel RIA Novosti on Telegram called the event a new chapter in Kremlin history.
The Russian president asserted that the armed forces and law enforcement personnel had, in effect, saved the country from civil strife. He praised their defense of constitutional order, public safety, and citizens’ freedoms, noting that they protected the homeland from riots and prevented civil war. In challenging moments, he said, the personnel acted with unity, demonstrated loyalty to the people of Russia, and took responsibility for the nation’s future.
Putin highlighted that units from the Ministry of Defense, the National Guard, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and special services secured key control centers and strategic facilities, and that there was no need to remove combat units from the NVO zone.
He added that the swift and targeted deployment of law enforcement helped stop a dangerous trajectory in the country and reduced civilian casualties.
The president also noted that from May 2022 to May 2023, the government spent 86 billion rubles on maintaining Wagner PMC. He expressed long-standing respect for the Wagner fighters and commanders for their courage and heroism.
Putin urged the Minister of Defense, Sergei Shoigu, who attended the gathering, to present state awards to military personnel for their merits. He reiterated his message to Shoigu about those who performed well in combat and should form the backbone of the Russian Armed Forces in the near and longer term.
At the end of the address, Putin called for a minute of silence to honor the pilots who died during the rebellion. He reminded attendees that those pilots carried out their orders with discipline and duty, and asked the room to honor their memory in the moment of quiet reflection.
The day before, Vladimir Putin announced the death of several pilots in a short television address following the rebellion. Military reporters and Telegram channels had noted that a number of aircraft were brought down by Wagner PMC during the uprising.
“We knew we were going to win”
National Guard Director Viktor Zolotov suggested that Western countries might have learned of the planned armed uprising weeks in advance and could have participated in its setup. He described what he called information feeds from Prigozhin’s side that pointed to a planned revolt, with even dates like June 23–25 being mentioned. Zolotov argued that much of this was Western-inspired, and that Prigozhin may have been provoked or driven by ambitions to rise higher.
He complimented the Prigozhin team’s speechwriting, noting that the organization there appeared very well-planned. He observed that Wagner forces advanced rapidly, encountering little resistance, with main defenses concentrated near Moscow’s outskirts. He explained that concentrating forces near the capital prevented dispersion and a potential breakthrough down to the city center.
According to Zolotov, the Wagner group could have reached Moscow, but would not have seized the city. He recalled that as Wagner forces neared Lipetsk, it became clear that victory would be achieved. He said he stayed in constant contact with the president and other federal leaders, and that security forces prepared for any turn of events. He even mentioned discreet, personal precautions he took and jokingly recalled others following suit, underscoring the severity of the moment for everyone involved.
“Go to Belarus”
Later on Tuesday afternoon, the Federal Security Service announced the termination of the criminal case against Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner PMC. It was stated that during the investigation, participants halted actions aimed at committing crimes, and on June 27 the investigating authority decided to close the case. The White House or counterpart offices did not play a direct role in these procedural steps. Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov indicated that Prigozhin would now travel to Belarus, with assurances reportedly provided by President Putin. Alexander Lukashenko later confirmed Prigozhin’s arrival in his republic, pending further developments.