US reacts to Wagner rebellion, acknowledges unprecedented challenge to Putin's leadership
Washington, June 27: The recent Wagner rebellion in Russia has prompted the United States to remark on the unprecedented challenge to President Vladimir Putin's leadership. US State Department official spokesperson Matthew Miller, responding to a media query on Ukraine and the Wagner group, acknowledged the unexpected nature of this development.
Miller stated, "It is certainly a new thing to see President Putin's leadership being directly challenged. It is a new thing to see Yevgeny Prigozhin... calling out that the war has been conducted essentially based on lies, which we have said previously but certainly not seen coming from Russian officials previously." The situation remains dynamic, and the implications are yet to be fully understood.
Miller emphasised that Secretary of State Blinken had engaged in discussions with G7 leaders, as well as counterparts from Turkey and Poland, to address the matter. "Blinken had a call with the leaders of the G7 and he had a call with Foreign Minister Kuleba of Ukraine, the Foreign Ministers of Turkey and Poland," stated the US State Department spokesperson. He further reiterated the unwavering support of the United States for Ukraine, regardless of the outcomes in Russia.
The rebellion concluded after an apparent deal mediated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, with Wagner's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, agreeing to depart for Belarus. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed that Lukashenko had proposed the resolution during a phone call with President Putin. According to CNN, the Wagner group subsequently left the Lipetsk region and withdrew its forces from the area.
The governor of the southern Russian region of Voronezh reported that the withdrawal of Wagner units was progressing steadily and without incident. Earlier, Prigozhin had claimed control over military facilities, including the airfield in Rostov-on-Don, following alleged strikes on a Wagner military camp by Russian forces, resulting in casualties among Prigozhin's fighters.
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