How will the Wagnerian army mutiny affect President Putin’s power in Russia?

New Delhi. After the rebellion of the so-called Wagner Group militia in Russia, President Vladimir Putin’s popularity will further increase and he will emerge stronger than before. Indian government sources believe Putin has the support of Russian citizens. The rebellion of the Wagner group is perceived as a threat to the unity of the country; In such a situation, Russian citizens will unite under the leadership of Putin.

The sources further suggest that the West and the media may want to tell a narrative around the uprising led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, but Putin could still emerge stronger. The leader of the Wagner group can be called a rebel, and his act can be considered treason. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has been talking about Putin all along. His disobedience after the war with Ukraine was previously seen as a parade, but today the Wagner group stood in front to challenge Putin’s authority.

Moscow completely quiet after Wagner issue came to the fore
Prigozhin, who agreed to defuse the situation, according to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s office, an Indian government source said. The current problem is between a private military contractor and the Russian military. The sources further said that Moscow has been “absolutely calm” since the Wagner issue surfaced.

Captured “without firing a single shot”
Prigozhin’s troops, who fought Ukraine’s bloodiest battle, captured Russia’s southern Rostov military district on Saturday “without firing a single shot”. Rostov has played a pivotal role in operations in Ukraine since 2014, when Russia launched a separatist war along the border in the Donbass region. Since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, the city’s importance as a military center has grown significantly.

How did the rebellion arise?
Prigozhin released a video on Friday that escalated his feud with senior Russian military officials and for the first time dismissed Putin’s justification for invading Ukraine. According to Al Jazeera, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) has opened a criminal investigation against Prigozhin, saying he “called for an armed rebellion against the state”.

My people are within the limits of Russia; They are ready to face the Russian army: Prigozhin
Prigozhin said his men had crossed the Ukrainian-Russian border and were ready to move against the Russian army. Wagner’s fighters then entered Rostov-on-Don, according to audio posted by Prigozhin on Telegram. He announced that his troops had captured the army headquarters in Rostov “without firing a single shot”.

Prigozhin accused of ‘treason’ and ‘stabbing in the back’
Putin accused Prigozhin of “treason” and “stabbing in the back” in a televised address. Putin signed a law allowing 30 days of detention for violating martial law in places where it is enforced, the RIA news agency reported. After the Belarusian president reached an agreement with Prigozhin, Wagner’s fighters evacuated the Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don.

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Keywords: Russia, Vladimir Poutine