2023-06-26 00:24:47
The White House said on the 25th that US President Joe Biden had a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and discussed the armed insurrection caused by the Russian mercenary company’Wagner Group’.
According to the White House, President Biden mentioned in the call that Ukraine’s ‘counteroffensive’ operation was underway once morest Russia.
“We reaffirm the unwavering support of the United States, including in security, economic and humanitarian aid,” he said.
President Zelensky released the contents of the call with President Biden through social media.
“While sharing the situation on the battlefield, we exchanged each other’s assessments of the situation in Russia,” he said.
In addition, he added that he had asked President Biden to impose stronger sanctions on Russia to recover Ukrainian territory.
On the same day (25th), President Zelensky also had a series of phone calls with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Polish President Andrzej Duda, as well as leaders of major Western countries that have supported Ukraine, and shared their views on the situation.
Earlier on the morning of the 24th, Wagner mercenaries staged an armed rebellion once morest the Russian government and advanced hundreds of kilometers near Moscow, but the situation ended when Yevgeny Prigozin, the founder of Wagner’s actual owner, ordered the withdrawal of troops on the same day.
See also: Russian mercenary armed rebellion “entering 200 km south of Moscow”…Putin-Prigozhin indirect negotiations “agreement on troop withdrawal”
■ Increased Confidence in Zelensky’s War
After the incident, Ukrainian President Zelensky expressed confidence that a change in the situation would favor the conduct of the war.
In a speech to the nation on the 24th, President Zelensky said, “It doesn’t matter who commands the Russian army, we (Ukraine) will be able to fully protect Europe from any Russian army.”
He went on to emphasize that Ukraine had the upper hand, whether it be Russian regular troops or mercenary groups, and pointed out the weakness of Russian forces revealed in the rebellion.
“The whole world saw today that the boss of Russia (Vladimir Putin) controls nothing,” Zelensky said. “It was complete chaos and complete absence of predictability.”
“We lost several million cities in one day and showed how easy it is to take over Russian cities,” he said, adding that there is no need to fear Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia anymore.
“It’s important not to be silent for fear of chaos in Russia,” Zelensky said. said.
“The security of Eastern Europe depends on Ukraine’s defense, so any support for our defense is support for you,” he said.
In particular, President Zelensky said, “Now is the time to support all weapons. When we ask for F-16 fighter jets or American-made long-range ATACMS missiles, we are strengthening our common defense.”
Atakims is a tactical surface-to-surface missile developed by Lockheed Martin of the United States, and the United States has refused Ukraine’s request to provide it, fearing that Ukraine may attack the Russian mainland.
■ “it’s not over yet“
US Secretary of State Tony Blincoln said on the 25th that the Russian armed rebellion is not completely over, saying, “I haven’t seen the last chapter yet.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that the situation between Russia and the Wagner mercenary group isn%27t done playing out: “This is an unfolding story, and I think we%27re in the midst of a moving picture.” https://t.co/LzXkJPsSg9
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 25, 2023
Secretary Blincoln said in an interview with CBS News that day, “It is an ongoing issue and we see that we are in the middle of it.”
“(The rebellion) is a challenge to the Putin regime and shows the cracks,” he added.
■ Some Russian citizens treat Prigozhin as ‘heroes’
Wagner’s mercenary leader, the founder of Prigozin, made his first public appearance on the night of the 24th following announcing the withdrawal of troops advancing toward Moscow, the Russian capital.
Citizens cheered the departing founder Prigogine.
On this night, the founder of Prigozhin left by car from the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia, where he had taken over.
A video was uploaded on Telegram showing the founder of Prigogine withdrawing.
The founder of Prigogine was sitting in the back seat of a car, when a man who appeared to be a citizen approached and offered his hand, and the car stopped.
The founder of Prigogine smiled brightly and shook hands. Then, we took a picture together with our mobile phone.
A Russian mercenary selfie 2023.Real quick one Yevgeny Prigozhin. #WagnerGroup pic.twitter.com/Fc4lDuP6gt
— Bob Mori © (@BobMori) June 25, 2023
“Good luck,” he said to those gathered around him before the vehicle set off once more.
Local media reported that the founder of Prigogine would go to Belarus.
After the announcement that the withdrawal negotiations of the Wagner group had been concluded, a video was also released showing soldiers and citizens cheering and hugging in the street.
■ Pay attention to how you will be treated
Attention is also focused on how the founder of Prigogine will be treated.
Russian President Putin announced that the founder of Prigozhin would be exempted from criminal responsibility for charges of ‘rebellion’ on the condition that he leave for Belarus, but international experts say that it is not yet known whether this promise will be kept.
The British newspaper Guardian reported that “Prigogine, who was frequently active on social media (including Telegram), is strangely quiet,” and “many questions are being raised regarding the future of Prigogine.”
He then commented, “As Prigogine is regarded as a wild ambition, many people are suspicious of his early ‘retirement’.”
“There is also an opinion that Prigozhin’s safety depends on what he does in Belarus,” he said.
In the end, the Guardian predicted that the Wagner group is likely to go through the process of disbanding.
That’s because Wagner mercenaries who want to remain in service have to be contracted out and placed under Russian Defense Ministry control, President Putin has said.
Putin also said the mercenaries who took part in the armed uprising would be exempted from criminal punishment given their contribution to the invasion of Ukraine.
■ Putin leadership blow
The armed rebellion of Wagner’s mercenaries ended in one day as they stopped advancing on Moscow and withdrew, but for Russian President Putin, the political leadership suffered a significant blow.
Major US and Western media outlets assessed on the 25th that President Putin faces the most serious threat since ruling Russia for 23 years.
CNN specifically pointed out that this incident forced Putin’s hold on power within the Russian elite to be questioned.
“It is surprising to see Putin’s ultimate advantage in his dictatorship, complete control, collapse overnight,” he said.
“Russian elites are forced to make an existential choice between the president’s shaky regime and the mercenary ‘Frankenstein’ created by the regime to do its dirty work,” he said.
The Wall Street Journal said, “Russia had to mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops to defend crumbling front lines, which led to large-scale immigration,” and “Drone strikes deep into Russia’s interior have become commonplace in Ukraine, puncturing Putin’s painstakingly built strong image.” he explained.
The New York Times also analyzed that President Putin had never faced such a dramatic challenge since he was appointed acting president on December 31, 1999.
The Guardian noted that a coup attempt by hardliners of the KGB in the summer of 1991 hastened the collapse of the Soviet Union a few months later.
“It’s too early to say history repeats itself, but Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine has proven to be his biggest strategic mistake and one that might soon remove him from power,” he said.
This is VOA News Jongsu Oh.
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