Russian President Vladimir Putin paid tribute to pilots killed fighting an aborted mutiny and thanked the nation for showing patriotic unity while confirming for the first time that Russian pilots died opposing the Wagner militia group’s march on Moscow. Putin’s televised address on Monday was his first public comment since Saturday’s armed revolt led by mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, and confirmed reports on social media that Wagner forces had downed Russian aircraft in the fighting. 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. 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. Reuters could not independently verify the reports. 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.”

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP