'Self-sacrifice of fallen heroes-pilots saved Russia...': Putin pays tribute to those killed fighting mutineers

Confirming the death of pilots killed fighting an aborted mutiny for the first time, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday paid tribute to the fallen heroes saying that they saved Russia from “tragic devastating consequences.” In an televised address on Monday, which was Putin’s first public comment since Saturday’s armed revolt led by mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, he also thanked Russians for showing patriotic solidarity in the face of the Wagner militia group’s march on Moscow. Thanking the Russian people, servicemen, law enforcement and security services for remaining united to protect “the Fatherland”, Putin said it showed Russia would not succumb to “any blackmail, any attempt to create internal turmoil”. He said Russia’s enemies wanted to see the country “choke in bloody civil strife”, before singling out the actions of the pilots. “The courage and self-sacrifice of the fallen heroes-pilots saved Russia from tragic devastating consequences,” Putin said, adding that the rebellion threatened Russia’s very existence and those behind it would be punished. There has been no official information about how many pilots died or how many aircraft were shot down. According to Reuters, some Russian Telegram channels monitoring Russia’s military activity, including the blog Rybar with more than a million subscribers, reported on Saturday that 13 Russian pilots were killed during the day-long mutiny. Among the aircraft downed were three Mi-8 MTPR electronic warfare helicopters, and an Il-18 aircraft with its crew, Rybar reported. It was also not clear in what circumstances the aircraft were shot down and pilots killed. Putin said the leaders of the mutiny had “engaged in a criminal act, in a split and a weakening of the country, which is now facing a colossal external threat and unprecedented pressure from within.” The mutiny’s organisers had also betrayed the soldiers that they led, he said. “They lied to them, they pushed them to death: under fire, to shoot their own,” Putin said. “It is this very phenomenon - fratricide - that is sought by Russia’s enemies.” He said “steps were taken on my direct instruction to avoid serious bloodshed” during the insurrection, which ended abruptly with Wagner forces standing down and Prigozhin agreeing to go into exile in neighbouring Belarus. Wagner leader Prigozhin also spoke in an 11-minute audio message posted on his press service’s Telegram channel, and gave few clues to his whereabouts or the deal. He said his men had been forced to shoot down helicopters that attacked them as they drove nearly 800km (500 miles) towards the capital, before abruptly calling off the uprising. Numerous Western leaders saw the unrest as exposing Putin’s vulnerability following his decision to invade Ukraine 16 months ago. The Russian president said he would honour his weekend promise to allow Wagner forces to relocate to Belarus, sign a contract with Russia’s Defence Ministry, or return to their families. He made no mention of Prigozhin. Putin met on Monday night with the heads of Russian security services, including Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, IFX reported, citing a Kremlin spokesperson. One of Prigozhin’s principal demands had been that Shoigu be sacked, along with Russia’s top general, who by Monday evening had not appeared in public since the mutiny. The defence ministry said early on Tuesday it was conducting tactical fighter jet exercises over the Baltic Sea. Prigozhin whereabouts unclear Prigozhin, 62, a former Putin ally and ex-convict whose forces have fought the bloodiest battles of the Ukraine war, defied orders this month to place his troops under Defence Ministry command. Last seen on Saturday night smiling and high-fiving bystanders from the back of an SUV as he withdrew from a Russian city occupied by his men, Prigozhin said his fighters had halted their campaign to avert bloodshed. “We went as a demonstration of protest, not to overthrow the government of the country,” Prigozhin said in the audio message. On Saturday, Prigozhin had said he was leaving for Belarus under a deal brokered by its president, Alexander Lukashenko. In Monday’s remarks, he said Lukashenko had offered to let Wagner operate under a legal framework, but did not elaborate. Belarusian state media reported that Lukashenko would speak with journalists on Tuesday, which could potentially shed more light on the whereabouts of Prigozhin. The White House said it could not confirm whether the Wagner chief was in Belarus. Russia’s three main news agencies reported on Monday that a criminal case against Prigozhin had not been closed, an apparent reversal of an offer of immunity. Lawmaker Leonid Slutsky said in a post on Telegram that Russia needed a contract army of at least seven million military and civilian personnel, on top of the current conscript army, so that there would no longer be a need to use private military companies like Wagner. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .