Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation, in Moscow on Saturday. Putin vowed to defend the country and its people from an armed uprising that was apparently taking place. The rebellion was led by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin.
During Putin’s talk columns of mercenary soldiers appeared to be heading towards Moscow. An estimated 25,000-armed men, many of them were drafted from Russian prisons, were largely unchallenged.
Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to strike back hard against Prigozhin, who announced the coup on social media. And was leading the assault on his own government.
In his remarks from the Kremlin, Putin denounced Prigozhin’s “criminal adventure” as an “armed mutiny” that would be met with a response from regular Russian troops.
“Any actions that split our nation are essentially a betrayal of our people, of our comrades-in-arms who are now fighting at the frontline. This is a knife in the back of our country and our people,” Putin said, invoking the bloody legacy of the Bolshevik revolution of 1917.
