Russian President Vladimir Putin paid tribute to Russian pilots killed fighting an aborted mutiny, confirming their deaths for the first time and thanking Russians for showing patriotic solidarity in the face of the Wagner militia group's march on Moscow. In his televised address on Monday, Putin confirmed reports on social media that Wagner forces had downed Russian aircraft in the fighting. He thanked the Russian people, servicemen, law enforcement, and security services for remaining united to protect "the Fatherland". He said it showed Russia would not succumb to "any blackmail, any attempt to create internal turmoil".
Putin said Russia's enemies wanted to see the country "choke in bloody civil strife" before singling out the actions of the fallen heroes-pilots. The courage and self-sacrifice of the fallen heroes-pilots saved Russia from tragic, devastating consequences, adding that the rebellion threatened Russia's existence and those behind it would be punished. There has been no official information about how many pilots died or how many aircraft were shot down. Some Russian Telegram channels monitoring Russia's military activity, including the blog Rybar with over a million subscribers, reported on Saturday that 13 Russian pilots were killed during the day-long mutiny. Among the aircraft downed were three Mi-8 MTPR electronic warfare helicopters and an Il-18 aircraft with its crew. It was also unclear under what circumstances the plane was shot down and the pilots killed.
Putin said the mutiny leaders had engaged in a criminal act, in a split and a weakening of the country, now facing a colossal external threat and unprecedented pressure from within. The mutiny's organisers had also betrayed the soldiers they led, he said. They lied to them, and they pushed them to death: under fire to shoot their own. "It is this very phenomenon - fratricide - that Russia's enemies seek."
The Russian president said he would honour his weekend promise to allow Wagner forces to relocate to Belarus, sign a contract with Russia's Defence Ministry, or return to their families. He made no mention of Prigozhin.
Russia's three leading news agencies reported on Monday that a criminal case against Prigozhin had not been closed, an apparent reversal of an offer of immunity. Lawmaker Leonid Slutsky said Russia needed a contract army of at least seven million military and civilian personnel on top of the current conscript army so that there would no longer be a need to use private military companies like Wagner.
In comments before a speech at the White House, U.S. President Joe Biden called the mutiny "part of a struggle within the Russian system" and discussed it in a conference call with key allies who agreed it was vital not to let Putin blame it on the West or NATO. White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said U.S. policy did not seek to change the government in Russia. Foreign governments, both friendly and hostile to Russia, were left groping for answers to what had happened behind the scenes and what could come next.
SOURCE: Reuters.com
