Fighters of Wagner private mercenary group pull out of the headquarters of the Southern Military District to return to base, in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023. REUTERS
Chaos in Russia works to Kyiv鈥檚 advantage, Ukraine officials said on Saturday, but it remains to be seen whether President Volodymyr Zelensky and his army can capitalize on the disorder caused this weekend as mercenaries marched towards Moscow.
Late on Saturday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, a founder of the Wagner army, said he was halting his 鈥渕arch for justice鈥� on Moscow after a deal that spared him and his mercenaries from facing criminal charges. The deal also exiled Prigozhin to Belarus.
鈥淭oday the world saw that the masters of Russia do not control anything. Nothing at all. Just complete chaos,鈥� Zelensky said in his nightly video address, urging Ukraine鈥檚 allies to use the moment and send more weapons to Kyiv.
The Prigozhin unrest, the biggest internal challenge to President Vladimir Putin as Russia鈥檚 paramount leader for 23 years, has spurred global security concerns and a frenzy of calls between Washington and its allies to coordinate actions.
鈥淎ny chaos behind the enemy lines works in our interests,鈥� State-run Ukrinform news agency quoted Ukraine鈥檚 Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba as saying on Saturday.
Putin called Prigozhin鈥檚 actions a 鈥渂low to Russia鈥�, but there were no immediate signs his rule was threatened. The defense ministry, under the helm of Putin鈥檚 loyal ally Sergei Shoigu, remained silent throughout the weekend鈥檚 events.
Kuleba said it was too early to speak of consequences for Ukraine, but later in the day he held a call with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the events and Kyiv鈥檚 counteroffensive efforts.
The U.S. State Department said in a statement afterwards that Washington will stay 鈥渋n close cooperation鈥� with Kyiv as the situation develops.
Ukraine鈥檚 military reported on Saturday an offensive near villages ringing Bakhmut, which was taken by Wagner forces in May after months of fighting. Kyiv also claimed the liberation of Krasnohorivka village in Donetsk, but gains were incremental.
The counteroffensive has been in general 鈥渟lower than desired鈥�, Zelenskiy said recently.
Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of Ukraine鈥檚 National Security and Defence Council, said on Saturday there was no immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from the frontline to Moscow.
鈥淭hey 鈥� all remain in their places. They continue their resistance,鈥� Ukrainian state media quoted Danilov as saying.
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