US President Biden has just said that the West 'had nothing to do' with Russia's Wagner revolt
On Monday, President Biden affirmed that the United States and its allies had clearly conveyed to Moscow that they had no involvement in the recent uprising orchestrated by the Wagner mercenary group in Russia. He described the incident as "part of a struggle within the Russian system."
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Wagner, spearheaded an armed rebellion against Russia's military leaders, accusing them of mishandling the war in Ukraine and criticizing President Vladimir Putin. Wagner fighters appeared to seize control of the Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, which oversees operations in Ukraine. However, they were instructed to return to their field camps when a truce brokered by Belarus was announced between Putin and Prigozhin.
To respond to the rebellion, President Biden engaged in discussions with U.S. allies over the weekend, coordinating efforts and instructing his national security team to prepare for various potential scenarios. He emphasized the need to ensure that Putin could not shift blame onto the West or NATO, asserting that the United States and its allies were not involved in the incident.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed that the message denying involvement was conveyed to the Russians through diplomatic channels. The same message was also delivered to U.S. allies and partners, reiterating that the United States views the events as internal Russian matters.
The specifics of the agreement between Putin and Prigozhin to end the rebellion remain unclear. As part of the truce, Prigozhin had agreed to relocate to Belarus to evade prosecution, although Russian authorities stated on Monday that the criminal charges against him had not yet been dropped.
In a statement released on Monday, Prigozhin, whose whereabouts are unknown, clarified that the mutiny was not intended to overthrow the Russian government but rather to safeguard the Wagner Group's autonomy from the Russian military.