The eyes of the world remain on Russia after Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s attempted mutiny on Saturday posed what many regard as the greatest challenge yet to President Vladimir Putin’s two-decade grip on power.
In a speech inside the Kremlin Tuesday, Putin thanked Russia’s army and security forces for preventing what he called a “civil war” within the country.
It follows a televised address to the nation on Monday, during which the president called the organizers of the uprising “criminals” and vowed to bring them to justice. He also said the uprising would have been crushed — even if Prigozhin had not cut a deal with the Kremlin that reportedly sees him exiled to Belarus.
The revolt raised questions about Putin’s grip on power and what could be next for the country. Some analysts expect a “purge” as Putin looks to reassert his dominance in the country, while many are skeptical that the peaceful exile of Prigozhin and his fellow mutineers will go ahead.