KREMLIN CRISIS
Britain braces for Putin’s fall after lightning mutiny exposes cracks in leadership
THE Foreign Secretary has revealed how this weekend’s lightning mutiny by Russia’s Wagner mercenaries exposed cracks in Putin’s leadership.
James Cleverly said Britain was braced for a Kremlin collapse, after coup-plotter Yevgeny Prigozhin drove a “coach and horses” through the lies that prop up Putin’s regime — with hints that Russians are tiring of the bloody war in Ukraine.
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The Foreign Secretary told MPs: “Prigozhin’s rebellion is an unprecedented challenge to President Putin’s authority and clear cracks are emerging in Russian support for the war.”
But tonight Putin broke his silence for the first time after the attempted coup.
In a televised statement, the leader vowed anyone involved in “criminal activity” over the weekend would face justice.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said it was too early to tell the effects of the uprising.
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Mr Sunak said Britain was braced “for a range of scenarios” as a result of Russian upheaval, adding: “We’re monitoring the situation closely.”
Wagner fighters loyal to the leader of their private military company, Prigozhin, came within 124 miles of Moscow before he called them off.
And in his first public comments since turning tail on Saturday, Prigozhin tonight taunted Russian forces.
The Wagner boss said his guns-for-hire soldiers covered more ground than Putin’s invaders had managed in Ukraine — and said “society demanded” the uprising.
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But Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the brief mutiny was not necessarily “a massive derailment of the Kremlin”.
Wallace said Prigozhin’s bid must not “distract from the main mission” of supporting Ukraine in the conflict.
In an audio recording posted on Telegram, Prigozhin claimed his aim was to halt the end of the Wagner group, which he said had been set to be terminated on July 1.
Despite the attempt, Putin tonight crowed: “Any blackmail attempts to create unrest are doomed to failure.”
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