Putin: Wagner Group Action is ‘Treason,’ Promises ‘Harsh’ Punishment
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Wagner Group mercenaries Saturday that armed mutiny is treason and anyone who takes up arms against Russia would be punished.
Putin promised, in an emergency televised address, to take decisive action to stabilize Rostov-on-Don, a southern Russian city where Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said his forces had taken control of all military installations.
“It is a blow to Russia, to our people. And our actions to defend the Fatherland against such a threat will be harsh. All those who deliberately stepped on the path of betrayal, who prepared an armed insurrection, who took the path of blackmail and terrorist methods, will suffer inevitable punishment, will answer both to the law and to our people,” Putin said, calling the Wagner group’s action a “stab in the back.”
Earlier Saturday, Russia said an anti-terrorist operation regime is up and running in Moscow, after Prigozhin vowed to overthrow Russia’s military leadership.
Russia is appealing to the mercenaries of the Wagner Group to abandon the organization and its leader.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a statement, posted on Telegram that was directed to the mercenary fighters, that they had been deceived and drawn into a “criminal adventure” orchestrated by Prigozhin.
Prigozhin said early Saturday his forces had seized control of the Russian army’s headquarters in Rostov and that his forces were in control of the city’s military sites.
“We are inside the (army) headquarters, it is 7:30 a.m. (0430 GMT). Military sites in Rostov, including an aerodrome, are under control,” Prigozhin said in a video on Telegram.
Prigozhin and his fighters had crossed from Ukraine into Russia and entered Rostov, facing no resistance by border guards. Prigozhin said his men were ready to go “all the way” against the Russian military and would destroy anyone who stood in their way.
“Everyone who will try to put up resistance … we will consider it a threat and destroy it immediately, including any checkpoints that will be in our way and any aircraft that we see over our heads. I am asking everyone to remain calm and not succumb to provocations, stay in their homes. It is advisable not to go outside along the route of our movement,” he continued.
“After we finish what we started, we will return to the front to defend our Motherland,” Prigozhin said. “There are 25,000 of us, and we are going to figure out why this country is in such a mess. Twenty-five thousand are expected as a tactical reserve, and the strategic reserve is the whole army and the whole country. Everyone who wants to join. We must end this disgrace,” he said.
What is the Wagner Group?
From: BBC
The Wagner Group (officially called PMC Wagner) was first identified in 2014, when it was backing pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine.
At that time it was a secretive organisation, operating mostly in Africa and the Middle East, and is thought to have had only about 5,000 fighters - mostly veterans of Russia’s elite regiments and special forces.
Since then, it has grown considerably.
“Wagner almost certainly now commands 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and has become a key component of the Ukraine campaign,” the UK Ministry of Defence said in January.
Wagner started recruiting in large numbers in 2022 because Russia had trouble finding people for its regular army.
About 80% of Wagner’s troops in Ukraine have been drawn from prisons, the US National Security Council said at the start of this year.
Although mercenary forces are illegal in Russia, the Wagner Group registered as a company in 2022 and opened a new headquarters in St Petersburg.
“It is openly recruiting in Russian cities, on billboards, and is being named in Russian media as a patriotic organisation,” says Dr Samuel Ramani, of the Royal United Services Institute think tank.
The Wagner Group was heavily involved in Russia’s capture of the city of Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine.
At first, the defence ministry did not mention that the Wagner Group was involved in the fighting. However, it later praised its mercenaries for playing a a “courageous and selfless” role.
The current head is Yevgeny Prigozhin, a rich businessman nicknamed “Putin’s chef” because he provided catering for the Kremlin.
生词记录
mercenary 雇佣兵
mutiny 反叛，哗变
treason 叛国罪
installation 装置艺术；用于军事目的的设施
blow 打击，不幸；浪费机会；泄露，暴露
stab sb in the back 背后捅刀子
regime 政府，政权，政体；组织方法，管理体制，体系
overthrow 推翻，打倒，打败
deceive 欺骗，蒙骗
orchestrate 精心安排，策划，密谋
aerodrome 飞机场
succumb 屈从，屈服，放弃抵抗，承认失败；病死，生病，受病痛折磨
provocation 激起，引起；激怒，挑衅
disgrace 耻辱，丢脸，不光彩的行为
separatist 分裂主义者
elite 精英
regiment 大批，大群，军队的团
command 命令，指示；指挥，统帅，管辖；应得，值得
recruit 招聘，吸收
billboard 广告牌
patriotic 爱国的
think tank 智囊团
catering 餐饮业。准备或提供食物的工作
