Wagner mutiny case ‘remains open’

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin remains under investigation by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) after leading a rebellion over the weekend, Russian media reports.
Russian defence minister Sergey Shoigu visits Russian troops in Ukraine, his first public appearance since the weekend mutiny.Britain prepared for ‘a range of scenarios in Russia’: PM
British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, says Britain is prepared for a range of scenarios in Russia following the potentially destabilising impact between the Wagner Group and President Vladimir Putin.

“It’s too early to predict with certainty what the consequences of this might be, but of course we are prepared as we always would be for a range of scenarios,” Sunak told reporters.

“It’s a situation that we’ve been analysing and monitoring for some time because we’re aware of the potentially destabilising impact of Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine and indeed, the tensions between the Wagner Group and the Putin regime.”

Wagner mutiny highlights need for stronger eastern flank: Lithuania
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda says Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Wagner’s rebellion highlighted the need for a stronger NATO presence along the alliance’s eastern flank.

“This is the front line of NATO where there is no place for even the slightest security gap,” Nauseda said in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius following a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.

“Last weekend’s events in Russia have demonstrated the instability of the Kremlin regime.”

“This undoubtedly has implications for the security both in Lithuania and the region,” he added.

Lithuania borders the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad as well as Russian ally Belarus.Russia faced a ‘challenge to its stability’: PM
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin says the country faced “a challenge to its stability” and must remain united behind President Vladimir Putin following the Wagner mutiny.

In what appears to be the first public comment by a senior Russian official, Mishustin appeared at a televised government meeting for national unity.

“The main thing in these conditions is to ensure the sovereignty and independence of our country, the security and well-being of citizens,” said Mishustin.

“For this, the consolidation of the whole of society is especially important; we need to act together, as one team, and maintain the unity of all forces, rallying around the president,” he said.

Mishustin added that “virtually the entire military, economic, information machine of the West is directed against us.”Ukraine reiterates call for simplified NATO accession
The head of Ukraine’s presidential staff reiterated that Kyiv expects an invitation for a simplified accession to NATO when the alliance meets in July.

Andriy Yermak told a briefing for German media: “Ukraine’s position – the expected result is to receive an invitation for simplified accession at the summit in July. But, importantly, we would like to receive an absolutely clear signal that would establish Ukraine’s path to NATO membership.”‘Prigozhin’s whereabouts are unknown’: Journalist
Journalist Yulia Shapovalova, reporting from Moscow, said an investigation into Prigozhin remains open following a mutiny over the weekend.

“At the moment, Prizgozhin’s whereabouts are unknown. But we have to wait and see what happens. It is interesting and could probably be called an active disobedience from the side of the Russian investigative committee and the FSB,” she said.

Shapovalova added that the video of Russian defence minister Sergey Shoigu visiting troops at the Luhansk front line “is ruling out theories of his possible resignation”.

‘Russia’s internal affair’: China on Wagner revolt
China’s foreign ministry says it has nothing to add about a possible phone call between Putin and Xi Jinping on the Wagner rebellion, Russian news agency TASS cited Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning as saying.

“The Wagner incident is Russia’s internal affair. As a friendly neighbour and comprehensive strategic partnership partner in the new era, China believes and supports Russia in maintaining national stability as well as achieving development and prosperity,” Mao said.

In response to a question about a call between the two leaders, Ning added, “I have no information to disseminate.”Wagner mutiny fuelling ‘instability’ in Russia: EU foreign ministers
European Union foreign ministers said the aborted Wagner mutiny over the weekend was causing domestic instability in Russia and undermining its military power.

“The political system is showing fragilities, and the military power is cracking,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters in Luxembourg as he arrived for a meeting with ministers from across the 27-member bloc.

“It’s not a good thing to see that a nuclear power like Russia can go into a phase of political instability,” Borrell said, adding this was the moment for the EU to continue supporting Ukraine more than ever.

“The monster that [Russian President Vladimir Putin] created with Wagner, the monster is biting him now, the monster is acting against his creator.”Ukrainian foreign minister urges EU to ‘accelerate Russia’s defeat’
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba urged the European Union to “accelerate Russia’s defeat” by stepping up support for Ukraine.

On Twitter, Kuleba wrote: “Two events proved Ukraine will win. In Berdyansk, Ukrainian teenagers Tigran and Mykyta sacrificed their lives to resist occupation. In Russia, tanks rolled on Moscow with little resistance. At #FAC [Foreign Affairs Council], I urged the EU to accelerate Russia’s defeat by stepping up support for Ukraine.”Prigozhin remains under FSB investigation: Kommersant
The leader of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, remains under investigation by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on suspicion of organising an armed mutiny, the Russian Kommersant newspaper reported, citing an unidentified source.

A case was opened on June 23 after Prigozhin announced a “march for justice” by his fighters against the Russian military leadership.

According to the Kremlin, the criminal charges were expected to be dropped in exchange for their return to camps and Prigozhin’s move to Belarus.

But Kommersant cited its source as saying there had not yet been time to change the case status.Wagner mutiny shows Moscow’s ‘big strategic mistake’ in annexing Crimea, attacking Kyiv: NATO
The aborted mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group in Russia demonstrates that Moscow committed a strategic mistake by waging war on Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said.

“The events over the weekend are an internal Russian matter, and yet another demonstration of the big strategic mistake that President [Vladimir] Putin made with his illegal annexation of Crimea and the war against Ukraine,” he told reporters on a visit to Lithuania’s capital Vilnius.

“As Russia continues its assault, it is even more important to continue our support to Ukraine.”

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