Putin calls Wagner mutiny 'treason' in televised address

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a national address on Saturday that an "armed mutiny" by the Wagner militia group was treason, and that anyone who had taken up arms against the Russian military would be punished.

"Those who organized and prepared a military mutiny, who took up arms against their comrades, betrayed Russia, and will be answered by us," Putin said, hours after Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was accused by the Kremlin of a mutiny coup.

In his emergency televised address, Putin urged the consolidation of all forces and said what was happening was "a betrayal" and "a knife stabbed in the back of our country and our people".

"What we are facing is precisely betrayal. Excessive ambition and vested interests have led to treason. Betrayal of one's country, one's people, and the cause for which the soldiers and commanders of the Wagner group had fought and died, side by side with our other units," he said.

Putin called Wagner's actions "internal treachery", saying that "all kinds of political adventurers and foreign forces, who divided the country and tore it apart, profited from their own interests. We will not let this happen again. We will protect both our people and our statehood from any threats, including internal treachery".

Putin said the situation in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don was complicated during the armed mutiny, adding that a counterterrorism mission is now in place in Moscow and several other regions.

Prigozhin said in an earlier video that he is in Rostov-on-Don, in southern Russia close to Ukraine's border, and that his forces have control of military facilities and the airfield there. He threatened to blockade Rostov and move on to Moscow if Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and top generals did not meet with him in the city, where Russia's Southern Military District is headquartered.

The Wagner group later said it had taken control of Russian military facilities in the city of Voronezh, in southwestern Russia.

Sergey Surovikin, Russia's Deputy Commander of Russian joint forces in the special military operation area, called on the Wagner to comply with Putin's order and to resolve all issues peacefully.

Surovikin added that he arrived from the frontline under order of the Defense Ministry board on Saturday.

The Federal Security Service, Russia's domestic intelligence service, said Prigozhin's statements and actions effectively constitute calls for an armed civil conflict on Russian territory and a stab in the back of Russian servicemen fighting with Ukrainian forces.

A criminal case into calls for rebellion of Prigozhin has been opened amid the seriousness of situation and a threat of escalation of confrontation in Russia, the Federal Security Service's Public Relations Center said.