Several world leaders, among them Russia’s closest allies and partners, have offered support for the Kremlin amid the deadly standoff between the Russian military and Prigozhin’s Wagner group.
Belarus: Belarus, Russia’s Collective Security Treaty Organization ally and Union State partner, has offered full support for Moscow, emphasizing that Minsk has always been and remains Russia’s close ally.
“Belarusians and Russians are brotherly peoples. Our states are bound by a political union. And we cannot remain aloof from events taking place in the south of Russia,” Belarus’s Security Council said in a statement Saturday.
“There has never been anything worse in Russia’s history than in a time of turmoil, which is destructive and senseless in its essence,” Minsk said, adding that the differences that led to the current crisis aren’t worth the potentially “catastrophic” consequences and losses that “emotional decisions and illegal actions” may cause.
Presidents Putin and Lukashenko spoke by phone on Saturday, with the Russian leader informing his Belarusian counterpart about “the situation in Russia,” according to Lukashenko’s press service.
Turkey: Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed support for Moscow, and said Ankara is ready to provide any assistance it can to resolve the situation.
Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan, another of Moscow’s allies within the CSTO, stressed the importance of “constitutional order” being restored in Russia.
Iran: Russia’s Iranian partners expressed similar sentiments, with Tehran emphasizing its support for the “rule of law.”
Abkhazia: Abkhaz President Aslan Bzhania expressed his nation’s “full support” for Russia.
“In connection with the attempted armed rebellion undertaken by the leadership of the Wagner Private Military Company, I declare my full support for the actions of Russian President and Armed Forces Supreme Commander Vladimir Putin to establish law and order. I am convinced that Putin’s determination and wisdom will lead to the successful resolution of the events of the last days in accordance with the constitution and laws of the Russian Federation,” Bzhania said.
Abkhazia “will continue to fulfill its allied obligations to Russia” under “any circumstances,” the president said, urging any Abkhaz nationals in the special operation zone “not to succumb to provocations or take part in illegal actions.
“What are the Americans and Europeans Saying?Publicly at least, Washington and Brussels have taken a wait and see approach, with US National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge telling Sputnik that the US is “monitoring and consulting with allies,” with President Biden said to have been briefed on events.
A European Commission spokesperson similarly told reporters that Brussels is “monitoring the situation,” adding that the EU considers events in Russia an “internal matter.” EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell spoke with G7 foreign ministers “to exchange views” on the situation, and said he was “coordinating inside the European Union” and had “activated” a “crisis response center” ahead of Monday’s EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting.”
Our support to Ukraine continues unabated,” Borrell said.
In Case You Missed What’s Happening: Wagner PMC leader Evgeny Prigozhin announced Friday that he and his 25,000 men were going to “sort out” what happened to their comrades in arms after accusing the Russian military of launching airstrikes against a Wagner encampment. The Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement late Friday denying launching any strikes, and accused Wagner of an “informational provocation.”
The FSB has charged the PMC boss with attempting to insight an armed mutiny, a charge which could land him up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He has refused to turn himself in, and said any attempts to approach his forces would be met with deadly force.
Prigozhin has had a much-publicized feud with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu for months, accusing the minister of starving Wagner of ammunition, charging him with incompetence and corruption, and leveling personal attacks against his family. Shoigu did not dignify these allegations with a response. Wagner fighters refused to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry after it ordered all volunteer detachments to do so in early June.
Wagner forces began operating in the NATO-Russia proxy war in Ukraine over a year ago, and fought alongside regular Russian forces to liberate the Donbass city of Artemovsk (Bakhmut) in a brutal house-to-house slog that lasted eight months, tying down tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops as Russia mobilized its reserves.