Vladimir Putin thanks Russian army for stopping ’civil war’ after Wagner mutiny

Vladimir Putin has thanked the Russian army for stopping "a civil war" from breaking out after the Wagner Group's 24-hour mutiny at the weekend.

Speaking at the Kremlin, the Russian president told up to 2,500 members of the military, the security forces, and the National Guard that they had saved the country from chaos.

The Wagner Group's brief rebellion, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, saw fighters advance on Moscow demanding the sacking of Russia's military leadership accusing them of botching the war in Ukraine.

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The mutiny ended following a Belarus-brokered deal between the Kremlin and the Wagner boss.

Mr Putin said: "You have defended the constitutional order, the lives, security and freedom of our citizens. You have saved our Motherland from upheaval. In fact, you have stopped a civil war."

In further remarks on Tuesday, he said Russia's "enemies" would have taken advantage of the situation if the mutiny had succeeded and added the Wagner mercenary group was entirely financed by the Russian state.

Mr Putin was joined on Tuesday by Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu, whose dismissal had been one of the mutineers’ main demands.

The Russian president said the state spent 86bn roubles ($1bn) on the group between May 2022 and May 2023.

Previously, the Russian government has denied involvement with the group and insisted it did not legally exist because private military contractors are technically illegal in Russia.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed Prigozhin is in Belarus after Saturday's mutiny.

US intelligence official, senate Intelligence Chair Mark Warner, told Sky's US partner NBC News he is reportedly in "one of the only hotels in Minsk that does not have any windows".

The 62-year-old has not been seen in public since Saturday, when he was driven out of the Russian city of Rostov after he ordered his men to stand down.