Vladimir Putin ‘deeply mistaken’, we are 'patriots'; Russia to have new President soon: Wagner chief

Commenting on Putin’s televised address, Prigozhin, in an audio note, said that the president “was deeply mistaken” in calling him a traitor. Russian mercenary leader Prigozhin denied Putin's allegation of betrayal and called his fighters 'patriots'.

Team Newsable

First Published Jun 24, 2023, 4:16 PM IST | Last Updated Jun 24, 2023, 4:16 PM IST

The Wagner Group, which has a long history of conflict with the military installations in the nation, declared an armed revolt against the government and threatened to overthrow it "soon" in one of the greatest blows to the Russian government since it began a military assault against Ukraine in February 2022.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian military contractor Wagner Group, has rejected accusations of “treason” by President Vladimir Putin after his troops crossed crossed from Ukraine into the Russian border city of Rostov-on-Don, vowing to fight anyone who tried to stop them.

Hours after Vladimir Putin called the armed rebellion by mercenary chief a betrayal and a “stab in the back", the Wagner Group said the President has made a wrong choice during his speech. He said, “The president is deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our motherland … No one is going to surrender because we don’t want the country to continue to live in corruption, lies and bureaucracy.”

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The Wagner commander said that his troops will defy Putin's orders to turn themselves in because "we do not want the country to live on in corruption, deceit, and bureaucracy."

In an audio message released on the social media platform Telegram on Saturday, Prigozhin said that his men had taken control of the city's military infrastructure, including the airstrip.

The Wagner Group, which is closing in on Moscow in an effort to overthrow the country's military leadership, has so far asserted authority over military installations in two Russian towns -- Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh -- and claims to have shot down three Russian military helicopters.

Also Read | Vladimir Putin calls Wagner's mutiny a 'stab in the back', warns of harsh response