Topline
President Joe Biden distanced the West from the armed rebellion inside Russia this weekend led by the Wagner Group, in his first public comments since the surprise uprising within Russia, after a leader in the Russian government suggested Western intelligence services were involved in the mercenary group’s revolt.
During remarks at the White House, President Joe Biden distanced the West from the armed rebellion … [+]
Key Facts
Biden unequivocally said the West had nothing to do with this weekend’s events, which mounted the biggest threat to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s power in Russia since he first assumed the presidency in the late 1990s.
In his remarks Monday, Biden described the rebellion as “a struggle within the Russian system” that he could not allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to blame the West or NATO for.
The president also said it’s too early to reach a “definitive conclusion” about where the internal rebellion will lead Russia in its fight against Ukraine.
Over the weekend, Biden said he took part in a video call with key U.S. allies and received “hour by hour” updates from his national security team to “prepare for a range of scenarios.”
News Peg
On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russian special services were investigating Western intelligence services’ potential involvement in the rebellion, but Lavrov did not provide evidence of Western involvement, TASS News Agency reported. Lavrov reportedly received assurances from the U.S. Ambassador to Russia Lynn Tracy that the U.S. had nothing to do with the rebellion.
Crucial Quote
“The ultimate outcome of all this remains to be seen, but no matter what comes next I will keep making sure that our allies and our partners are closely aligned in how we are reading and responding to the situation,” Biden said during his remarks from the White House.
Key Background
Biden stayed quiet over the weekend after the surprise rebellion began. On Friday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the Wagner Group—a private army of more than 25,000 which has been heavily involved in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—began an armed rebellion after he accused the Russian military of attacking one of the Wagner Group’s camps. The Wagner Group—which had been fighting alongside Russian troops in the war against Ukraine—subsequently claimed control over Russian military facilities in Voronezh and Rostov, Russia’s logistical hub for its invasion of Ukraine. Troops from the group then marched toward Moscow, but before they made it to the capital, Prigozhin and Putin struck an 11th hour deal to stave off a likely invasion of the city. The terms of the deal said Prigozhin would move to Belarus and no one involved in the armed rebellion would face charges, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. Wagner troops began pulling out of Rostov and Voronezh on Sunday.
Tangent
Also on Monday, Prigozhin released his first public statement since the armed rebellion. Prigozhin said the Wagner Group was responding to being attacked, not attempting to overthrow Russian leadership. The Wagner leader claimed the march was an attempt to hold officials accountable, who, through their “unprofessional actions,” have committed a number of errors—including Russian forces allegedly killing 30 of his fighters, which Prigozhin claimed was a reaction to his commanders refusing to sign government contracts.
What To Watch For
Biden—who spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday—said the two leaders may speak again to coordinate their future response.
Further Reading
Wagner Chief Prigozhin Denies Attempting A Coup In First Comments Since Stunning Rebellion (Forbes)
Where Does Wagner Get Its Money? How Russia’s Mercenaries-Turned-Rebels Earned Millions From Contracts And Mining Deals. (Forbes)
Russia’s Wagner Rebellion ‘Shows Real Cracks’ In Putin’s Regime, Blinken Says (Forbes)
Russia’s ‘Civil War’ Crisis Explained: Prigozhin Accepts Peace Deal Without Charges, Moves Wagner Forces To Belarus (Forbes)
