Russia will defend itself from internal treachery, says Putin

MOSCOW- Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address on Saturday that the unfolding events were a betrayal of the country and its people and Russia would defend itself from internal treachery.

“We will defend both our people and our statehood from any threats, including internal treachery. What we have been confronted with can be precisely called treachery. The unbounded ambitions and personal interests have led to a treason and a betrayal of the country and its people,” the head of state stressed.

As Putin pointed out, this has led to the betrayal “of the cause for which fighters and commanders of the Wagner group had fought and lost their lives side to side with other formations and units.”

“The heroes who liberated Soledar and Artyomovsk, towns and settlements in Donbass, who fought and lost their lives for Novorossiya, for the unity of the Russian world – their name and glory have also been betrayed by those who are trying to stage a mutiny and pushing the country towards anarchy and fratricide, defeat and finally surrender,” the head of state said.

A civil war will not be allowed to repeat itself in the country, Putin stressed.

The Telegram channel of Wagner private military company founder Yevgeny Prigozhin earlier posted several audio records with accusations against the country’s military leaders. In the wake of this, the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia has opened a criminal case into a call for an armed mutiny. The FSB urged Wagner fighters not to obey Prigozhin’s orders and take measures for his detention.

The fate of Russia is being decided now and all forces should unite, while the attempts to split the society are a stab in the back, Putin.

“This battle, when our people’s fate is being decided, demands unification of all forces, unification, consolidation and responsibility, when everything that weakens us, any feuds that our external foes may use and use to undermine us from inside, should be thrown aside,” he stressed.

“And therefore any steps that split our unity, this is in fact backsliding from their own people, comrades-in-arms, who are now fighting on the frontline. This is a stab in the back of our country and our people,” Putin said.

According to Putin, this blow was dealt to Russia back in 1917 when the country fought during World War I. “But they stole our victory,” Putin noted.

“Intrigues, squabbles and cheap politics behind the back of the army and people turned into a great shock, the destruction of the army and the split of the state, as well as the loss of huge territories. In the end – the tragedy of a civil war,” the president stated.

Putin stressed that today “Russia is conducting a heavy fight for its future and repelling aggression of neo-Nazis and their masters.” “The West’s entire military, economic and information machine is targeted against us. We are fighting for life and security of our people, our sovereignty and independence, for the right to be and remain Russia – a state with a 1,000-year history,” he said.

Sergey Surovikin calls on Wagner PMC to resolve problems peacefully, not to aid enemy

Russia’s Deputy Commander of Russian joint forces in the special military operation area Sergey Surovikin called on the Wagner PMC to comply with President Vladimir Putin’s order and to resolve all issues peacefully, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.

“I urge you to stop. The enemy is waiting for our internal political situation to escalate. We must not play in enemy’s favor in this difficult time. Before it is too late, it is necessary to submit to the will and order to the nationally elected president of the Russian Federation, to stop the convoys, to take them back to their permanent deployment and concentration locations, and to only resolve all issues peacefully,” he said.

Surovikin added that he arrived from the frontline under order of the Defense Ministry board.

“We have together come a difficult way, we were fighting together, risking, suffering casualties, we were winning together. We are of same blood, we are fighters,” he added.

Source: Tass

Edited by Hamda Mustafa