Russian President Vladimir Putin made a series of important statements on Monday evening, following the suppression of the armed mutiny attempt by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the private military company (PMC) Wagner.
The Russian leader thanked all Russian soldiers and said that most Wagner troops are true patriots.
Hera are major statements from his Monday's address:
The Wagner situation showed that blackmail and turmoil are doomed to failure.
The public, parties, religious organizations, the whole society took a firm stand in support of constitutional order;
Russians showed consolidation, everyone was united by the fate of the fatherland;
On my direct instructions, decisions were made to avoid bloodshed;
The mutineers wanted the soldiers to kill each other, and this outcome was also wanted in Kiev;
The vast majority of Wagner fighters are patriots of the motherland, they were used in the dark;
I am grateful to Lukashenko for his contribution in resolving the situation;
I thank all the soldiers, they showed courage;
Putin invited Wagner fighters to sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense, to return home or to Belarus.
Following the address, Putin held a meeting with top security officials, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"After delivering the address, Vladimir Putin is currently holding a working meeting with the participation of Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Anton Vaino, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Federal Security Service (FSB) chief Alexander Bortnikov, Russian National Guard head Viktor Zolotov, Federal Security Service Director Dmitry Kochnev and Investigative Committee chief Alexander Bastrykin," Peskov said.
Won't Let Russia Split Again: Putin in Address on June 24
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, at a time when the Russian comrades-in-arms were fighting at the frontline in Ukraine.
"Excessive ambition and personal interests have led to betrayal, betrayal of Russia and the cause for which the fighters and commanders of the Wagner Group fought and died side by side with other units and detachments," the Russian president said on Saturday, a day after Prigozhin claimed that the Russian army "attacked" a Wagner camp and called for an armed rebellion.
The Russian Army leadership, the public, political parties, religious organizations and key Russian politicians, including ex-President Dmitry Medvedev and the head of the Chechen Republic Ramzan Kadyrov -- have all called on Prigozhin to stop the movement of his troops at this difficult time for Russia.
On late Saturday, June 24, Prigozhin accepted the proposal of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to stop the movement of Wagner troops in Russia and take further steps to de-escalate the situation.
Prigozhin later confirmed the information, saying that Wagner troops were returning back to their field camps.
Meanwhile, a whole number of friendly states have extended full support to Russia following the aborted mutiny.