Live blog: Things 'moving in right direction' on Russia turmoil, says Kiev

Sunday, June 25, 2023

Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov has said he discussed the turmoil in Russia in a phone call with his US counterpart, describing the Russian authorities as "weak" and saying things were "moving in the right direction."

In a brief readout of the call with United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, Reznikov said they also discussed Ukraine's counteroffensive and steps to strengthen Ukraine's armed forces.

"We agree that the Russian authorities are weak and that withdrawing Russian troops from Ukraine is the best choice for the Kremlin," Reznikov wrote on Twitter.

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1800 GMT — Latvia warns of 'unpredictable developments' in region

Latvia has warned of "possible unpredictable developments" in the region, as manifested by the Wagner paramilitary group's recent armed rebellion against the Russian state.

Stressing that the rebellion was Russia's internal affair, Latvian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Diana Eglite said that her country will remain vigilant as it cannot overlook the likelihood of such unpredictable developments being repeated.

Latvia is also providing Ukraine with every possible support against Russian aggression, she added.

1738 GMT — Macron: Wagner revolt shows 'divisions' in Russian camp

The revolt by Russia's Wagner mercenary group against President Vladimir Putin over the war in Ukraine has revealed "divisions" within the Russian leadership, French President Emmanuel Macron said.

The abandoned march on Moscow "shows the divisions that exist within the Russian camp, and the fragility of both its military and its auxiliary forces", Macron told the Provence newspaper, saying "the situation is still developing" and he was "following the events hour by hour".

1737 GMT — Two killed in Ukrainian shelling of Donetsk: Russian-backed mayor

Alexei Kulemzin, the Russian-backed mayor of the east Ukrainian city, said a young man born in 2005 and a woman born in 1956 had died as a result of enemy fire.

Earlier in the day, a civilian man died after Russian forces shelled Ukraine's southern city of Kherson, the local governor said.

1729 GMT — Blinken: Russia crisis reveals 'real cracks' in Putin's authority

Russia's crisis involving a mercenary group's aborted revolt against the Kremlin exposed "real cracks" in President Vladimir Putin's rule, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.

The uprising by the armed Wagner group and its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin over the weekend marked "a direct challenge to Putin's authority," Blinken told CBS News talk show "Face the Nation."

"So this raises profound questions, it shows real cracks," the top American diplomat said.

The remarks were the first public declarations about the crisis by the United States, which over the past 24 hours had been intensively engaged in consultations with European allies on the revolt.

1615 GMT — Turkish president, NATO chief discuss latest developments in Russia over phone

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg in a phone call discussed the latest developments in Russia, according to a statement by Türkiye's Communications Directorate.

During the call, it was pointed out that the end of tensions in Russia "prevented the occurrence of irrevocable humanitarian tragedies in the Ukrainian field," the statement said.

It was conveyed to Stoltenberg that Türkiye hopes recent developments in Russia will be "a new milestone in the path to a just peace in Ukraine," it added.

1538 GMT — Vilnius urges beefed-up NATO if Prigozhin in Belarus

Lithuania's president has warned that if Belarus is to host Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin then NATO will need to strengthen its eastern flank.

The head of state, whose Baltic country neighbours both Belarus and Russia and will host next month's NATO summit, spoke after a state security council meeting to discuss Wagner's aborted revolt against the Kremlin.

"If Prigozhin or part of the Wagner group ends up in Belarus with unclear plans and unclear intentions, it will only mean that we need to further strengthen the security of our eastern borders," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told reporters.

"I am not only talking about Lithuania here, but without a doubt the whole of NATO," he said.

1428 GMT — China supports Russia in 'protecting national stability': foreign ministry

China has said it supported Russia in "protecting national stability", in Beijing's first official remarks on a short-lived armed uprising led by the head of the Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin.

"As a friendly neighbour and a new era comprehensive strategic cooperative partner, China supports Russia in protecting national stability and achieving development and prosperity," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The issue was Russia's "internal affair", the ministry added.

Beijing had until late Sunday refrained from commenting on the weekend's turmoil in Russia, which saw the mutiny's leader agree to go into exile after President Vladimir Putin was forced to accept an amnesty deal.

1154 GMT — Russia received China's support over Wagner mutiny - ministry

Russia's foreign ministry has said Beijing had backed Moscow's efforts to counter a short-lived armed uprising led by the head of the Wagner mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin.

"The Chinese side expressed support for the efforts of the leadership of the Russian Federation to stabilise the situation in the country in connection with the events of June 24, and reaffirmed its interest in strengthening the unity and further prosperity of Russia," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

The release came after a meeting in Beijing between China's deputy foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu and Russian deputy foreign minister Andrey Rudenko.

China's readout from the meeting however said the two deputy foreign ministers had "exchanged views" on bilateral ties and "international and regional issues of common concern".

Beijing says it is a neutral party in the Ukraine conflict, but has been criticised by Western countries for refusing to condemn Moscow and for its close strategic partnership with Russia.

1139 GMT — Russian forces say repelled multiple attacks in eastern Ukraine

Russia has said it had repelled new offensives by Ukrainian forces in four areas on the front line, a day after Ukraine claimed "progress" in the east of the country.

"Over the past 24 hours, Ukraine's armed forces have continued to attempt offensive action," the defence ministry said in a statement, adding that 10 attacks had been countered near Bakhmut alone.

The ministry said it had repelled attempted attacks in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, Russian news agencies reported.

0911 GMT — North Korea vice foreign minister supports Russian leadership over mutiny

North Korea's vice foreign minister in a meeting with the Russian ambassador on Sunday has said he supported any decision by the Russian leadership to deal with a recent mutiny, North Korean state media reported.

Im Chon Il, the vice foreign minister, "expressed firm belief that the recent armed rebellion in Russia would be successfully put down in conformity with the aspiration and will of the Russian people," state KCNA news agency said.

Heavily armed Russian mercenaries who advanced most of the way to Moscow this weekend halted their approach, de-escalating a major challenge to President Vladimir Putin, in a move their leader said would avoid bloodshed.

North Korea has sought to forge closer ties with the Kremlin and backed Moscow after it began its offensive in Ukraine last year, blaming the "hegemonic policy" of the United States and the West.

0805 GMT — Russia strikes Kherson following withdrawal of Wagner fighters

A civilian has died after Russian forces shelled Ukraine's southern city of Kherson, local governor said.

"One of the shells exploded right in the middle of the room," Oleksandr Prokudin said on the Telegram messaging app. He said another woman was trapped under the rubble but alive.

Ukrainian authorities also reported that Russians shelled the south of Dnipropetrovsk region during the night, injuring one person and damaging three private houses.

Reuters news agency was unable immediately to verify the report.

0024 GMT — Wagner fighters vacate Russia's Rostov-on-Don city

Wagner group fighters led by their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin have left the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and are headed back to their field camps, the regional governor has said.

Heavily armed Russian mercenaries who advanced most of the way to Moscow began turning back on Saturday.

"A Wagner column left Rostov and headed to their field camps," Governor Vasily Golubev said on Telegram.

On Saturday they seized control of a key military base there.

2204 GMT — All restrictions on Russian highways lifted: TASS

All restrictions previously imposed on highways in Russia have been lifted, the TASS news agency said, citing the Federal Road Agency.

The restrictions were put in place after the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced a rebellion against Moscow's military leadership. The heavily armed Russian mercenaries began turning back on Saturday.

2140 GMT — Israel says Russia developments are an internal affair

Developments in Russia are an internal matter, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, according to a statement from his office.

"While this was an internal Russian matter in which Israel was not involved, Israel would continue to monitor developments closely," said the statement released after Netanyahu's discussions with diplomatic and security officials.

For our live updates from Saturday (June 24), click here.