Governments around the world are closely watching the events rapidly unfolding in Russia, where a revolt by the Wagner mercenary group has posed the most serious challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s long rule.
Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin“Anyone who chooses the path of evil destroys themselves,” Zelenskyy also wrote on Twitter. “For a long time, Russia used propaganda to mask its weakness and the stupidity of its government. And now there is so much chaos that no lie can hide it.” on Saturday said his fighters had crossed from Ukraine into the Russian border city of Rostov-on-Don, taking control of military facilities in the city, including the airfield.
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During an emergency televised address in Moscow, Putin promised to crush what he called an “armed mutiny” and an act of treason.
Here is what governments and political institutions are saying about the extraordinary situation taking place in nuclear-armed Russia:
Ukraine
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Wagner mutiny showed Russia was weak.
“Russia’s weakness is obvious. Full-scale weakness. And the longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on our land, the more chaos, pain, and problems it will have for itself later,” he said in a statement on social media.