Russia: Vladimir Putin orders neutralization of Wagner rebellion organizers

"Any internal turmoil is a deadly threat to our statehood, to us as a nation. This is a blow to Russia, to our people. And our actions to protect the motherland from such a threat will be tough," Putin said in a televised address to the nation.

"All those who deliberately embarked on the path of betrayal, who prepared an armed rebellion, who embarked on the path of blackmail and terrorist methods, will suffer inevitable punishment and answer both before the law and before our people," he said.

"I urge those who are being dragged into this crime not to make a fatal and tragic mistake, but to make the only right choice -- to stop participating in criminal acts," Putin said.

Russia's National Anti-terrorism Committee announced on Saturday that a counter-terrorist operation regime has been introduced in Moscow city, the Moscow region and the Voronezh region to prevent possible terrorist acts, after the Wagner private military group was accused of trying to organize an armed rebellion.

The Deputy Commander of the Joint Group of Forces General of the Army Sergei Surovikin said in a statement: "I have just come from the frontline, where our troops, our commanders, our soldiers, our fighters, volunteers are carrying out the task, fighting the enemy to the death, with the superior forces of the enemy, suffering losses, but standing on their positions."

"I appeal to the leadership, to the commanders and fighters of the Wagner PMC. Together with you we have passed a difficult, hard way, we have fought together, taken the risks, suffered losses, we have won together. We are the same blood, we are warriors," read the statement.

"I call you to stop. The enemy is only waiting for our domestic political situation to deteriorate. We must not play into the hands of the enemy at this difficult time for the country," read the statement.

Meanwhile, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of private military company (PMC) Wagner, refused to surrender.

Prigozhin said on Telegram that the president is “deeply mistaken.”

“Regarding the ‘betrayal of the motherland,’ the president is deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our Motherland, we fought and are fighting, all the fighters of the PMC Wagner,” Prigozhin said in audio messages shared by the press service as quoted by CNN.

What is Wagner Group?

The Wagner Group, officially known as PMC Wagner, is a Russian paramilitary organization.

It is seen as a private military company (PMC), a network of mercenaries, or a de facto private army of Russian President Vladimir Putin's former close ally Yevgeny Prigozhin.

The group operates beyond the law in Russia, where private military companies are officially forbidden.

While the Wagner Group itself is not ideologically driven,various elements of Wagner have been linked to neo-Nazism and far-right extremism.