The White House revealed that U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with the leaders of France, Germany, and Britain on Saturday, as fighters from the Russian private military group Wagner advanced towards the Russian capital, Moscow, after seizing a city in the south of the country the night before. Subsequently, its leader announced that he had ordered his men to return to their bases to avoid bloodshed. The statement noted, "The leaders discussed the situation in Russia. They also reaffirmed their steadfast support for Ukraine."
The White House added that "Biden's national security team briefed him on developments in Russia," noting that "this will continue throughout the day." A spokesperson for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz stated that "the four leaders confirmed during the conversation their commitment to continue supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary." The office of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak affirmed a similar commitment to Ukraine, stating that the leaders "agreed to maintain close contact in the coming days."
In an extraordinary speech broadcast on television, Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that "the armed rebellion of the Wagner military group is treason, and anyone who bears arms against the Russian army will be punished." He emphasized that he would "do everything to protect Russia" and that decisive action would be taken to stabilize Rostov, a city in the south, which Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed his forces had taken control of all military facilities in.
Meanwhile, the former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, quoted by the TASS news agency on Saturday, stated that Moscow would not allow the rebellion led by the Wagner Group to turn into a coup or global crisis. In response to press questions, Medvedev, who serves as deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, stated, "The whole world would be on the brink of disaster if Russian nuclear weapons fell into the hands of criminals." Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called on Russians to "rally around President Vladimir Putin."
A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry warned Western countries against exploiting the Wagner rebellion to achieve their objectives born out of hatred for Russia. Prigozhin himself announced that he and his men rejected President Vladimir Putin's order to surrender.
Prigozhin stated, "The president was deeply mistaken about the betrayal of the motherland. We are all patriots of our homeland. We have fought and are fighting, and no one is going to surrender at the request of the president, the FSB, or anyone like that." He claimed that his forces "did not need to fire a single bullet" when they took over the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov, while also pointing out that his men had been fired upon by artillery and helicopters on their way to Rostov.
The head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergei Naryshkin, was quoted by TASS as saying that it is clear that this is an attempt to destabilize society and ignite a civil war, which has "failed."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that "Ukraine will not remain silent, nor will it stand still; it will defend Eastern Europe," considering that "the situation in Russia shows that no one controls the situation and that there is chaos. The world can see today that Russia's masters control nothing. This means nothing at all. It is simply complete chaos, with no predictability."
Zelensky addressed Putin saying, "As long as your forces remain on Ukrainian land, the destruction you will cause to Russia will only increase." He earlier indicated that "Russia's weakness has become clear, and the longer Moscow keeps its forces and fighters in Ukraine, the greater the chaos that will return to Russia."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged the international community to "abandon false neutrality towards Russia and provide Kyiv with all the weapons it needs to drive Russian forces out of Ukrainian territories." Kuleba tweeted, "Those who said Russia was too strong to lose: look now. It's time to abandon false neutrality and fear of escalation. Give Ukraine all the needed weapons. Forget any friendship or dealings with Russia."
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated on Saturday that he spoke with foreign ministers of the G7 and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs to discuss the situation in Russia. Blinken tweeted, "The United States will continue to closely coordinate with allies and partners as the situation (in Russia) continues to develop."
Army General Mark Milley, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, cancelled a planned trip to the Middle East due to the situation in Russia.
The Turkish presidency announced that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and urged him to act rationally. It added that the two presidents discussed the latest developments in Russia, and Erdoğan informed Putin of Ankara's readiness to play a role in helping reach a peaceful resolution to the situation.
The Kremlin, in a separate statement, mentioned that Erdoğan supported the approach the Russian government is taking to handle the rebellion. Erdoğan has sought to maintain strong relations with both Moscow and Kyiv since the start of the war in Ukraine. Turkey, a NATO member, has refrained from joining its Western allies in imposing economic sanctions on Russia, but it has provided Ukraine with weapons and called for respect for its sovereignty.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the Canadian incident response team will meet to discuss the latest updates on the situation in Russia. He tweeted, "We are in contact with our allies and will continue to monitor the situation closely."
Formal Iranian media reported that Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani stated that "Iran supports the rule of law in the Russian Federation and considers the recent developments an internal matter for Russia." The media pointed out that "Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian informed his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in a phone call that he is confident that Russia will overcome these events."
Putin briefed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on the situation in Russia, according to a message posted on the official Telegram channel of the presidency of Belarus.
Chechen Republic head Ramzan Kadyrov confirmed that his forces are "ready to provide assistance in thwarting the rebellion led by the head of Wagner and to use harsh methods if necessary." Kadyrov described the movement as a "stab in the back," calling on Russian soldiers not to surrender to any "provocations." He said, "Chechen units are moving to the tense areas and will work to preserve Russian units and defend the Russian state."
Governor of Voronezh, Alexander Gusev, noted that "emergency services are trying to extinguish a fire that broke out in a fuel tank inside an oil depot." Gusev mentioned, "Over 100 firefighters and 30 units of equipment are working at the fire site."
He also highlighted that the military is taking "necessary military measures in the region" as part of a counterterrorism operation. A Russian security source informed Reuters that "Wagner fighters have controlled military facilities in the city of Voronezh," located about 500 kilometers south of Moscow.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stated that "the Wagner rebellion shows that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has had adverse consequences for President Vladimir Putin." Meloni’s office noted that she "is closely monitoring the developments in Russia, which demonstrate how aggression towards Ukraine is causing instability within the Russian Federation."
The German Foreign Office advised travelers to avoid traveling to Rostov and surrounding areas, as well as the center of Moscow until further notice due to events in Russia. The office added, "In Moscow, state facilities, especially military ones, should be avoided. The center of the city should be avoided until further notice. Security authorities' instructions should be followed at all times."
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock mentioned that her team is also discussing the situation with G7 foreign ministers, and she has vowed that Germany is closely monitoring developments in Russia and is in close contact with international partners.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called on all parties in Russia to protect civilians after the Wagner leader captured a southern city. In an interview with the BBC set to be aired fully on Sunday, Sunak remarked, "The most important thing I will say is for all parties to act with responsibility and to protect civilians." He added, "We are closely monitoring the situation and how it evolves on the ground. We are in contact with our allies, and I will indeed be speaking with some of them later today."
A spokesperson for the British government noted that its emergency committee met to discuss the latest developments in Russia and the risks facing British citizens there. The spokesperson indicated that the Foreign Secretary led a meeting of the emergency committee to present the latest situation updates, particularly concerning British nationals in Russia.
NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu indicated via email that the alliance "is monitoring the situation" in Russia.
European Council President Charles Michel stated that he is "closely monitoring the situation in Russia" and is in contact with other EU leaders and partners in the G7. Michel tweeted, "It is clear that this is an internal Russian issue." He continued, "The EU's support for Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelensky is unwavering."
Polish government spokesman Piotr Muller confirmed that "Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki discussed the situation in Russia with Charles Michel." Muller tweeted, "Morawiecki is conducting further consultations regarding the current situation in Russia. He spoke today with Michel and others."
Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs tweeted that "Latvia is reinforcing security along its border with Russia, and will not allow Russians to enter in the current situation," adding, "There is no direct threat to Latvia at this time."
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas confirmed that "Estonia is strengthening the security of its borders and urged citizens to refrain from traveling to any part of neighboring Russia." She stated, "I can assure you that there is no direct threat to our country."
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said that his country is closely monitoring the situation in Russia. The Czech news agency ČTK reported Lipavský's remarks that, due to the ongoing military invasion in Ukraine and the potential threat of security deterioration in the country, "our severe travel warning to the Russian Federation remains in effect."
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis noted that his country is monitoring events in Russia and is in consistent communication with its allies. Iohannis stated, "Romanian authorities are monitoring the developments in Russia, and I am being continuously informed about developments."
The Bahraini Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Saturday stating that the kingdom is following developments in the Russian Federation and emphasizes the importance of maintaining stability there "under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin, and applying the legitimate laws adopted in Russia to preserve the security and stability of the friendly Russian people."
The Emirati Foreign Ministry said in a statement published by the official news agency that the UAE is following the situation in Russia "with great concern" and called for calm and restraint, stressing "the necessity of respecting the rules and principles of international law."
The Belarusian Security Council noted that "Minsk remains an ally of Russia and that internal disagreements are a 'gift' to the Western group."
French Foreign Ministry advised against any travel to Russia due to "rapid fluctuations" in military and security situations in the country.
Israel urged its citizens on Saturday to reconsider their stay in Russia or their travel plans there, with the defense ministry stating that "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to convene a meeting with security leaders later today." An estimated 60,000 to 70,000 Israelis are currently in Russia, with around 500,000 eligible Jews able to immigrate to Israel.
