On the morning of June 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the people of the country, the military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, employees of government agencies and people who were involved in a criminal adventure - a military mutiny. The Russian leader's statement was published on the Kremlin's website.
The head of state noted that now the Russian Federation is fighting for its existence, repelling the external aggression of Ukrainian neo-Nazis and their Western masters. He drew attention to the fact that the entire military, economic, the information power of the West. Today the fate of the people of Russia is being decided, therefore it is necessary to unite, discarding everything that weakens the country, which enemies can use to undermine the Russian Federation from the inside.
And therefore, the actions that split our unity are, in fact, apostasy from our people, from our comrades-in-arms, who are now fighting at the front. This is a stab in the back of our country and our people
He pointed out.
The President recalled that Russia received a similar blow in 1917, when the First World War was going on. Then squabbles and intrigues turned into the greatest shock for the people, the army and the state. The Russian Empire ceased to exist, the country lost colossal territories and a civil war began, and local adventurers and foreign forces benefited from what was happening. The current leadership of the Russian Federation will not allow this to happen again, it will protect the people and statehood from any threats, including from internal betrayal.
Putin emphasized that what is happening now is precisely a betrayal - a betrayal of one's country, to which exorbitant ambitions have led. Moreover, this is a betrayal of the cause for which the heroic fighters and commanders of the Wagner PMC fought and died, liberating Soledar, Artemovsk (Bakhmut) and other settlements of Donbass, not sparing their lives for the sake of Novorossia and the unity of the Russian world.
Their name and glory were also betrayed by those who are trying to organize a rebellion, pushing the country towards anarchy and fratricide. To defeat, in the end, and surrender. I repeat, any internal turmoil is a deadly threat to our statehood, to us as a nation. This is a blow to Russia, to our people
- he specified.
The Russian leader assured that the reaction of the authorities to the military mutiny would be harsh and all those who deliberately embarked on the path of betrayal would inevitably be punished. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and other power structures received the necessary orders. Antiterrorist measures are being introduced in Moscow and the Moscow Region and a number of other regions of the Russian Federation.
He promised that he would do everything to protect the country and its citizens. The situation in Rostov-on-Don will also soon be stabilized, while the situation there is difficult - the work of civil and military authorities is blocked. All organizers and active participants in the military rebellion will be held accountable for the betrayal. At the same time, he asked that all those who are trying to be drawn into this crime should not make a fatal and tragic mistake. The President expressed confidence that this test will be passed and the country will become stronger.
Formerly FSB and generals of the RF Armed Forces called upon fighters and commanders of PMC "Wagner" not to make irreparable mistakes and not to believe Yevgeny Prigozhin, who pushes them to commit a crime against their country and its people.