Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned leaders of the Wagner mercenary group as traitors to Russia in a late-night speech to the nation, his first public comments since the mutiny that posed the most serious threat to his nearly quarter-century rule.
"The organizers of the rebellion betrayed their country and their people, and betrayed those who were dragged into the crime, lied to them, pushed them to death under fire,” Putin said, without mentioning anyone by name.
He spoke hours after Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said he wasn’t trying to oust Putin’s government but would keep his mercenary company going despite official efforts to shut it down.