Russian Prime Minister Urges National Unity and Support for Putin After Failed Coup Attempt

 Russian Prime Minister Urges National Unity   and Support for Putin After Failed Coup     Attempt

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has called for national unity and support for President Vladimir Putin following an attempted mutiny by heavily armed mercenaries on Saturday. The Wagner Group, a private military contractor linked to the Kremlin, had attempted to stage a coup in the Central African Republic (CAR), where they were deployed to provide security for Russian mining companies. The coup attempt was thwarted by CAR security forces, with the help of French and US military support.

Mishustin said that the country had faced "a challenge to its stability" and that it was important for all citizens to remain united in the face of efforts by the West to undermine Russia. He also criticized the West, saying that virtually the entire military, economic, and information machine of the West is directed against Russia.

Under a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the mercenaries from the Wagner Group will return to base and their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin will move to Belarus. All criminal charges against him and his fighters will be dropped. Putin has not publicly commented on the events or the deal since Saturday, but he had previously vowed to crush the rebellion.

Mishustin, a technocrat who was appointed prime minister in 2020, emphasized the need for the consolidation of society and the unity of all forces, rallying around the president. He also stressed the importance of ensuring the sovereignty and independence of Russia, as well as the security and well-being of its citizens.

"The main thing in these conditions is to ensure the sovereignty and independence of our country, the security and well-being of citizens," Mishustin said at a televised government meeting. "For this, the consolidation of the whole of society is especially important; we need to act together, as one team, and maintain the unity of all forces, rallying around the president."

The aborted mutiny by the Wagner mercenaries had threatened Russia's very existence, according to Putin. Mishustin's call for national unity and support for Putin is a clear indication that the government is taking the threat seriously and is working to prevent any further destabilization. The incident also highlights the growing role of private military contractors in Russian foreign policy, and the risks associated with their use in conflict zones.