Latest: Putin Makes another Speech As Lukashenko Orders Army To Be At ‘Full Combat Readiness’

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Lukashenko Confirms Wagner Leader Is In Belarus

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is now in Belarus, the country’s president has confirmed to state news agency BELTA. 

Under a deal mediated by Alexander Lukashenko on Saturday that ended a mutiny in Russia by the Wagner fighters, Prigozhin was meant to move to Belarus. 

His men were given the choice of joining him or being integrated into Russia’s regular armed forces.

Mr Lukashenko also said his defence minister, Viktor Khrennikov, had told him he would not mind having a unit like Wagner in the Belarusian army.

He instructed Mr Khrennikov to negotiate with Prigozhin on the matter, BELTA reported. 

Earlier today, a jet linked to Prigozhin was tracked leaving Moscow and landing in Belarus and a US official suggested he was staying in one of the few hotels in Minsk without any windows. 

Your questions answered: Why didn’t Russian troops engage Wagner troops earlier?

Our military experts and senior correspondents have been answering your questions on the Ukraine war.

Today’s question comes from Measle77, who asks: If Russia seriously thought the Wagner group was going to attack them, why didn’t they fire at them before they got so close to the border? Why did they wait to see how close Wagner got?

Military expert Sean Bell has given his answer below…

The seismic events in Russia this past weekend raise more questions than answers, and although more details will inevitably emerge in the coming days, the paucity of information has prompted a raft of speculation – much of which is ill-informed.

The boss of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is an old friend of President Vladimir Putin – they have a mutually beneficial business relationship – and Russia has become increasingly dependent on mercenary support to deliver battlefield success for its illegal invasion of Ukraine. But, Mr Putin also likes to maintain a degree of anarchy within his leadership team to ensure that no individual can become too powerful and risk challenging Mr Putin himself.  

As a result, the ongoing feud between Prigozhin and the regular Russian army leadership of defence secretary Sergei Shoigu and General Gerasimov was tolerated and perhaps even exploited by Mr Putin. But, Mr Putin would have been concerned that Prigozhin’s frustrations were extending beyond the Russian MoD and risked undermining his own authority, which explains why Mr Putin supported all “volunteers” (mercenaries) being obliged to sign on to the regular MoD by 1 July.

Although Mr Putin has relied heavily on mercenary groups for the past decade, he probably felt he had no choice but to “tame the monster” [Prigozhin] that he had created. However, notwithstanding the impact on the Wagner Group (and others), he would probably never have expected his old friend Prigozhin to attempt a coup.

Events unfolded apace at the weekend, and it is likely that Mr Putin had little more notice than the media about Prigozhin’s “march for justice”.  Apparently, Mr Putin refused to take any calls from Prigozhin during the convoy – probably because of the grave risks that any uprising might involve – but Mr Putin did direct his military to take decisive measures to stop Prigozhin.

These steps included digging up roads to act as obstacles, setting up armed roadblocks, and although time was at a premium, Mr Putin also directed armed Russian helicopter gunships to strafe the Prigozhin convoy, killing a number of Wagner personnel.  Reports suggest this fire was reciprocated, and seven Russian helicopters and a larger plane were shot down, killing at least 13 Russian aviators.

Apparently, throughout the advance, Prigozhin was taking a series of calls from President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus which eventually led to Prigozhin turning back the convoy, albeit we might never know what prompted that change of heart.

In sum, although we do not know the details of what happened, it appears very likely that Mr Putin did not expect Wagner forces to attack Russia. It is also entirely feasible that Prigozhin also did not want to attack Russia, but did want to expose what he considered to be the ineptitude of the Russian military leadership.  However, once on the road to Moscow, Prigozhin left Mr Putin no choice but to act swiftly and decisively, and a crisis was averted.

For now.

The Wagner Group is responsible for a raft of war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Central African Republic (CAR), according to a new investigative report.

While the group had been spearheading Russian attacks in parts of Ukraine, it also has a presence in various other parts of the world.

Washington based anti-corruption organisation The Sentry has found that Yevgeny Prigozhin’s group has been “perfecting a nightmarish blueprint for state capture” in the CAR to enable it to plunder the country’s national resources, particularly gold and diamonds.

Over the past five years, soldiers and militiamen have reportedly undergone Wagner training that has involved “ultraviolent” techniques of torture and killing, including how to cut fingers and legs, remove nails, strangle, throw fuel and burn people alive.

Our Africa correspondent Yousra Elbagir explains what the mercenary fighters are up to… 

Everyone Vladimir Putin Has Spoken To Since Wagner Rebellion

 After agreeing a deal to end Saturday’s mutiny, Vladimir Putin attempted to consolidate his position by speaking with a number of world leaders. 

Here is everyone that Mr Putin has spoken with since…

President Alexander Lukashenko

One of the Russian president’s closest allies was Mr Putin’s first call after the mutiny began. Alexander Lukashenko allegedly helped to stop the rebellion, overseeing a deal that saw Wagner mercenaries call off their “march to Moscow,” in exchange for Yevgeny Prigozhin’s relocation to Belarus and the promise that no prosecutions would be sought for those involved. 

The Belarusian foreign ministry put out a statement throwing the nation’s support behind Mr Putin and “fully sharing the goals & objectives of the special military operation”. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – Turkey

Having lauded the “special relationship” between himself and Mr Putin back in May, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone call to “express his support for the Russian leadership” after the Wagner Group’s rebellion, according to the Russian foreign ministry. 

Ankara, on the other hand, said their president had told Mr Putin to “act with common sense,” before offering to help oversee the “peaceful resolution of events in Russia as soon as possible”.

Mr Erdogan’s support has proven vital throughout the conflict in Ukraine, with the Turkish leader, alongside the UN, helping to broker a deal that would guarantee Ukraine’s grain supply could continue to be exported via the Black Sea. 

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev – Kazakhstan

Mr Putin received a lukewarm response from Kazakhstan’s president, who told the Russian leader he regarded the mutiny as an “internal” Russian problem, the country’s presidential administration said. 

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahayan – United Arab Emirates

Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahayan declared his full support for Mr Putin on the day the rebellion began, the Russian defence ministry claims. 

According to the Kremlin, he was interested in hearing an assessment of the Wagner mutiny.

“Having received comprehensive information, the Emirati leader declared full support for the actions of the Russian leadership,” a statement read.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani – Qatar

The Emir of Qatar held a phone conversation with the Russian president on Monday, it has been reported. 

The phone conversation addressed the “bilateral relations between the two countries, in addition to discussing the latest regional and international developments and developments in the Russian Federation”, according to Qatar’s state news agency QNA.

Qatar is one of a number of Arab states to be largely neutral on the conflict.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev – Uzbekistan

The office of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev put out a statement stating that he had spoken with Mr Putin, but offered no detail. 

Analysis: Ukraine Used Wagner Rebellion To Increase Pressure Along Entire Front

Ukraine has capitalised on Russian chaos caused by the Wagner rebellion, Sky News defence and security analyst Professor Michael Clarke says.

“They [the Ukrainians] have used this opportunity to increase the pressure all the way across the front to see where the gaps are,” he said.

Professor Clarke pointed to recent updates from Volodymyr Zelesnkyy and the British Ministry of Defence for further encouragement for the Ukranians. 

“They say they think the Russians [are] having trouble finding the reserves to conduct these counterattacks [on the widened Ukrainian front].” 

Clarke said Wagner troops made up a significant portion of the Russian front lines and questioned whether they would return following rest after the battle for Bakhmut and the recent mutiny. 

“The Volga Group and Wagner Group make up to 25% of the force actually fighting on the Russian frontline.

“The Wagner Group had withdrawn in order to rest and reorganise after Bakhmut. They needed that and the expectation was they’d come forward again. They probably won’t be doing that now. 

“So the Russians may have lost a rather important part of their reinforcement process.”

Putin Claims Wagner Was Financed By Russian State – Despite Previously Denying Involvement With The Group

In some of his latest comments, Vladimir Putin has said the Wagner mercenary group was entirely financed by the Russian state. 

This may come as a surprise to some, given that Russia has repeatedly denied involvement with the group and insisted it does not legally exist because private military contractors are not legal in Russia.

The Russian president said the state spent 86 billion roubles (£791m) on Wagner between May 2022 and May this year. 

Putin added the group’s boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, made almost as much during the same period from his food and catering business. 

The private mercenary group has been fighting in Ukraine on behalf of Russia, but is separate to Russian forces led by its Ministry of Defence. 

Prigozhin had repeatedly made accusations that his troops were not provided with enough supplies and ammunition by the Russian state, and subsequently suffered more losses. 

‘Comrades Perished Defending The Motherland’: Putin After Speaking Publicly For Second Time Today

Vladimir Putin is giving another address following one inside the Kremlin complex this morning. 

He is chairing a meeting of security forces, repeating many of the comments he made earlier and praising them for their work in stopping the Wagner Group rebellion. 

“I would like to emphasise the fact that the country would have been plunged into chaos without you,” he says.

Speaking about the Russian pilots who died in the 24-hour mutiny, he says he “regrets” the losses. 

“Our comrades perished defending the motherland,” he adds. 

The Russian president claims parts of the country could have been “lost” in the assault without the work of the military, and says a payment will be made to those who helped stop the rebellion. 

He adds that Russia has “always respected” the Wagner Group fighters for their “huge amount of heroism” and had been funding the force from May 2022 until last month.  

Pope’s Peace Envoy To Visit Moscow Tomorrow

Pope Francis’s peace envoy for Ukraine will visit Moscow tomorrow and Thursday, the Vatican said in a statement. 

Matteo Zuppi will aim to “encourage gestures of humanity” which can help find a solution to the war peacefully, it added. 

Earlier this month, he visited Ukraine where he met Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other high-level government officials. 

The Pope has consistently called on world leaders to work towards resolving the conflict peacefully. 

International Programme To Train Ukrainian Pilots To Fly F-16 Fighter Jets Still Being Finalised

Plans to train Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 fighter jets are still being drawn up by the West, Denmark’s defence ministry has said. 

To assist Kyiv’s counteroffensive, NATO members Denmark and the Netherlands have been heading an international coalition aiming to provide aircraft and pilot training.

However, there is still “no final plan yet” for the training programme, according to a statement from the defence ministry shared with Reuters. 

It said fighter experience and language skills will determine the duration of training, which is expected to consist of up to six Ukrainian pilots and 40 soldiers at a time.

Ukraine’s fleet has been supplemented by 27 MiG-29 jets from Poland and Slovakia, but this initiative will be the first to send F-16 fighter jets from Western countries to Kyiv. 

Russian Troops Tortured & Executed Prisoners In Ukraine, UN Report Finds

Russian forces carried out widespread and systemic torture of civilians and summarily executed dozens, the United Nations Human Rights Office has said.

The global body said it interviewed hundreds of victims and witnesses for a report, which details over 900 individual cases of people being detained.

The vast majority of those interviewed, including children and elderly people, said they were tortured and some were subjected to sexual abuse during their detention. 

“Torture was used to force victims to confess to helping Ukrainian armed forces, compel them to cooperate with the occupying authorities or intimidate those with pro-Ukrainian views,” said Matilda Bogner, the head of the UN human rights mission in Ukraine. 

The report spans 15 months – from the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022 to May of this year.

The Kremlin has consistently denied any suggestion that their troops have carried out any kind of war crimes. 

Analysis: Putin’s Speech Was Designed To Send A Message, Prevent The Thing He’s ‘Scared’ Of

There were no grand statements of intent from Vladimir Putin that might provide a clue about what happens next – but the speech we’ve just reported on provided some important insights nonetheless, says Moscow correspondent Diana Magnay.

“There were up to 2,500 troops from the security services, the National Guard and the military assembled in the Kremlin palace for the commander in chief to address them and thank them all, to say ‘you saved people from – effectively – a civil war’,” she says. 

“Those are the images that Putin wants communicated back to the public because the fact is, at least 13 air force members were killed – and that has been acknowledged by the Russian people.

“I was talking to the head of Levada, which is an independent pollster here in Russia, and he said the fact that people died was a real mark for the Russian public of potential instability.

“What Putin has promised over these past two decades is order and stability, and people are really scared of that changing.” 

She adds that before the mutiny, Russians thought of Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin as a “pretty effective military general who’d done very well for the country in Bakhmut”, but ⁠knowing his mutiny resulted in the deaths of servicemen “doesn’t go down that well with the Russian people”.

“I think Vladimir Putin is trying to say, ‘don’t worry, I’ve got this, we’ve restored order’,” Magnay says. “The armed forces are in control.”

“He thanked them, he wants to make sure that none of them think of doing the same thing again. I think that’s what he’s really scared of.”

Analysis: Putin Trying To Address Russian Anger As Uncertainty Remains

Yet another Vladimir Putin public speech does not ease any sense of uncertainty in the wake of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s rebellion, according to defence and security analyst Professor Michael Clarke.

“He [Vladimir Putin] keeps making these surprise appearances – he normally doesn’t appear at all at times like this. 

“He’s been incredibly indecisive about more or less everything and now I think people are saying to him: ‘Boss, you’ve got to get out there.’

“Prigozhin is still there, Wagner is still there – that sense of uncertainty is still there,” Professor Clarke, the former director-general of the Royal United Services Institute, told Sky News.

Clarke suggested the president’s speech was designed to address anger felt in Russia over the troops killed during the rebellion.

“There’s been a lot of anger about that in broader Russian society, so I think that [Putin’s] speech was partly to address that, to say: ‘We honour the people who died in the defence of the motherland.'”

There are reports that up to 13 Russian servicemen were killed during the rebellion – the Kremlin has acknowledged deaths but given no official number yet. 

Watch more of Clarke’s analysis here…

Neighbouring Countries ‘Planting Corpses’ & Carrying Out ‘Deliberate Strike Attacks’ On Belarus: Lukashenko

More now from Alexander Lukashenko’s speech earlier today. 

In our 9.22 post, we reported that the Belarusian president had told journalists he’d ordered his armed forces to be at “full combat readiness” following the Wagner Group’s armed rebellion in Russia.

During the conference, he also shared his concerns about a “new wave of NATO expansion and an unprecedented build up” of the alliance’s member states near the Belarus border. 

“Almost every day the border service authority is recording provocations on the state border from neighbouring countries, from planting corpses to deliberate drone strikes on the territory of Belarus,” he said. 

He added that Ukraine has “strengthened” its side of the border to the “upmost”, saying they have mined the area and put an “enormous amount of fortification” in place. 

“In other words, our generation is going through real trial. We have the mission to preserve peace and preserve the memory of all those who died previously on our territory,” he said. 

“We have to respond to this threat which is now casting a terrible pool over our motherland.” 

Wagner Mutiny Could Have Resulted In ‘Civil War’

Vladimir Putin has hailed Russia’s military and law enforcement for “stopping a civil war”. 

The Russian president told some 2,500 members of the country’s security forces, National Guard and military units, that the people and the armed forces had stood together in opposition to rebel mercenaries in Saturday’s aborted mutiny.

At the gathering, held on a square in the Kremlin complex, Mr Putin was joined by defence minister Sergei Shoigu, whose dismissal had been demanded by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin during the assault. 

He described the mutiny as an “extremely dangerous situation” and thanked those who helped bring it to an end. 

He requested a minute of silence to honour Russian military pilots who were killed during the assault.

“A number of our comrades have died in the process. They fulfilled the order and their military duty with honour,” he said. 

“Our resolution and courage, as well as the consolidation of the entirety of Russian society, has been huge and has played a defining role in overcoming these obstacles and the mutiny. 

“You can see the army, society and people were one. This has allowed us to overcome the extremely dangerous situation that the country was in.” 

Prigozhin In Windowless Minsk Hotel: US Official

Yevgeny Prigozhin has landed in Belarus and is staying in one of the few hotels in the capital that does not have any windows, a US official has suggested. 

The Wagner leader was told to flee to Belarus as part of a deal to end his group’s armed rebellion on Saturday. 

He was last seen in public leaving the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don after calling off his troops, and there has been speculation about his whereabouts since then. 

US Senate Intelligence chair Mark Warner told NBC News Prigozhin is in Minsk, and he believes he is in a hotel with no windows. 

“I understand, literally as I was coming on air, that he says he’s in Minsk and he actually is,” he said. 

“And get this – this is just reports – that he is in one of the only hotels in Minsk that does not have any windows.” 

Mr Warner suggested this could be to protect him against assassination attempts.  

Kremlin Says It Has No Knowledge Of Prigozhin’s Whereabouts

The Kremlin has claimed it has no knowledge of the whereabouts of Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin after the collapse of his brief rebellion. 

Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the deal ending the mutiny was being implemented, and Vladimir Putin always kept his word.

The deal’s terms included Prigozhin relocating to Belarus, with a plane linked to him being tracked landing there earlier this morning (see 8.51am post).

It also stated he and his mercenary fighters would avoid criminal charges, with the Federal Security Service (FSB) dropping its investigation earlier today. 

Putin To Address Russian Military Units Who Helped Uphold Order During Rebellion

Vladimir Putin will address members of Russian military units, the National Guard, security forces and others who helped to uphold order during Saturday’s mutiny, the Kremlin has said. 

Speaking at a news briefing, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Russian president would also hold individual meetings with some military officers. 

He added that Russia still sees no reason to enter peace talks with Ukraine when asked about a report in a German publication that suggested they could take place as early as July. 

He responded by saying there was no sign that any of the prerequisites for peace negotiations were in place. 

Moscow has insisted on Ukraine accepting the “new realities” of the Russian-annexed regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia before any peace talks can recommence. 

Explosions In Kremenchuk On Anniversary Of Mall Attack That Killed At Least 18

Explosions are being reported in Kremenchuk in the Poltava region of Ukraine on the anniversary of a brutal missile attack on a shopping mall there that killed at least 18 civilians. 

Explosions are being reported in Kremenchuk in the Poltava region of Ukraine on the anniversary of a brutal missile attack on a shopping mall there that killed at least 18 civilians. 

“Explosions were heard in Kremenchuk,” said air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat.

“We are waiting to hear from regional administrations about the implications of the explosions,” he added.

Tracking website alerts.in.ua recorded an air raid siren at 11.53am local time (9.53am UK time).

This comes exactly one year after two missiles struck a shopping centre in the city in one of the deadliest strikes of the war to date. 

The G7 accused Russia of war crimes in the wake of attack, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying there were more than 1,000 civilians inside at the time of the strike.

Kremlin Signalling Shoigu To Remain In Post As Speculation About A Successor Is Arising

The Kremlin is trying to signal that Sergei Shoigu will remain in his position as Russian defence minister, and that Vladimir Putin will not give in to Yevgeny Prigozhin’s “blackmail attempt”, a US-based thinktank has said. 

During the Wagner Group’s armed rebellion at the weekend, Prigozhin demanded Mr Shoigu be removed from his post due to his handling of the war in Ukraine. He also called for Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov to go.

“It is currently unclear if the Kremlin will replace Shoigu and Gerasimov, but it is unlikely that the Kremlin would make such drastic command changes immediately since doing so would seem to be conceding to Prigozhin’s demands,” the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said. 

Despite this, Russian sources have continued to speculate about Russian military command changes following the mutiny, it added.

Russian milbloggers began a campaign promoting Tula Oblast governor Alexei Dyumin to replace Shoigu by amplifying a video in which he visited a volunteer battalion on 25 June. 

Other milbloggers claimed that the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is investigating Dyumin’s connection to Prigozhin and Wagner’s reported access to Pantsir missile systems, it explained. 

A Kremlin-affiliated milblogger suggested Moscow may reshuffle a number of other roles as well, including the head of the general staff’s Main Organisational and Mobilisation Directorate Colonel General Yevgeny Burdinsky. 

The milblogger claimed that the Kremlin may replace Mr Burdinsky for his inability to account for convicts, the ISW said. 

Russia Drops Charges Against Prigozhin, Mutinous Wagner Mercenaries: FSB

Russian authorities say they have closed criminal investigations into Wagner Group mercenaries who took part in the rebellion over the weekend, as well as their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

The Federal Security Service (FSB) said its investigation found that those who participated in the mutiny “ceased activities directed at committing the crime”.

As part of a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Russia agreed not to prosecute anyone involved in the mutiny after it ended, even though Vladimir Putin branded them “traitors” during a speech on Saturday. 

Despite that assurance, Russian news outlet Kommersant reported that the criminal case into Prigozhin was open as late as yesterday. Sky News