NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a press conference at exercise Griffin Storm 2023 after visiting the training camp in Pabrade, Lithuania, on June 26. Mindaugas Kulbis/AP
The developments in Russia over the weekend show the “weakness” and “fragility” of the Russian regime, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday.
The armed insurrection of Wagner’s boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin, “showed how difficult and dangerous it is for the President [Vladimir] Putin for trusting mercenaries who have actually turned against him,” Stoltenberg said.
Stoltenberg went on to say that it is unclear what will happen in Russia in the coming days and weeks. He added that NATO allies should not make the mistake of “underestimating” Moscow.
“So we have to continue to support Ukraine, that’s exactly what NATO and NATO allies are doing with military support, but also with long-term support. And that’s in a way what we can say today about the effects on the battlefield in Ukraine,” he said during a press conference in Lithuania, alongside German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.
What we knowPrigozhin on Friday accused the Russian army of attacking a Wagner camp and killing a “large number” of his men. He vowed strong retaliation, hinting that his forces would “destroy” any resistance, including roadblocks and aircraft.
On Saturday, Prigozhin announced he was turning his forces away from a march on Moscow shortly after the Belarusian government said President Alexander Lukashenko had reached a deal with him to halt the advance. Prigozhin said the move was in accordance with an unspecified plan and was intended to avoid the shedding of Russian blood.
Belarusian officials said they cannot confirm whether Prigozhin has arrived in the country or what his status will be.
