Russian mutiny details remain scarce as Putin says he sought to avoid bloodshed
- President Vladimir Putin makes first public comments since Saturday’s uprising in Russia
- In audio message, Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin says he never intended a coup
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday he let Saturday’s aborted mutiny go on as long as it did to avoid bloodshed, while the Wagner mercenary group boss who led the uprising said he never intended to overthrow the government.
Putin’s televised address was his first public comment since Saturday, when he had said the rebellion threatened Russia’s very existence and those behind it would be punished.
“From the very beginning of the events, steps were taken on my direct instruction to avoid serious bloodshed,” Putin said on Monday.
“Time was needed, among other things, to give those who had made a mistake a chance to come to their senses, to realise that their actions were firmly rejected by society, and that the adventure in which they had been involved had tragic and destructive consequences for Russia and for our state.”
Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin spoke in an 11-minute audio message that was posted on his press service’s Telegram channel and which gave few clues to his whereabouts, or the deal under which he halted the move toward Moscow.
Prigozhin shocked the world by leading Saturday’s armed revolt, an event that numerous Western leaders saw as exposing Putin’s vulnerability after invading Ukraine 16 months ago.