Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned leaders of the Wagner mercenary group as traitors to Russia in a late-night speech to the nation, his first public comments since the mutiny that posed the most serious threat to his nearly quarter-century rule.
¡°The organizers of the rebellion betrayed their country and their people, and betrayed those who were dragged into the crime, lied to them, pushed them to death under fire,¡± Putin said, without mentioning anyone by name.
He spoke hours after Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said he wasn¡¯t trying to oust Putin¡¯s government but would keep his mercenary company going despite official efforts to shut it down.
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