Russian mercenary chief defends mutiny that shook Putin's government

The Kremlin scrambled Monday to project control after a dramatic armed rebellion over the weekend posed the biggest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin in more than 20 years of rule.

The mercenary chief whose rebels seized a Russian city and marched toward Moscow over the weekend says he acted to protect his fighters and not to topple Vladimir Putin, according to a recording released on Monday. 

Earlier, the Kremlin scrambled to project control and stability, with Putin, his defense chief and prime minister all making business-as-usual appearances, talking about everything from the war in Ukraine to engineering technologies. Restrictions faced by the Russian public were also lifted.

"This unit was supposed to have ended its existence on July 1, 2023," Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a nearly 12-minute audio recording on his press office's channel on Telegram, referring to the date by when the Russian defense ministry said all volunteer and mercenary forces had to sign up with the military.

It was the first time that Prigozhin, who did not disclose his location or when he recorded the message, had spoken since he abruptly ended his revolt on Saturday.

Biden says U.S. ‘not involved’ with Wagner revolt in RussiaJune 26, 202303:45"Experienced fighters, experienced commanders will be simply 'smeared' and will basically be used as meat," he said, using Russian slang for "destroyed," adding: "We did not have the goal of toppling the existing regime and legitimately-elected government."