World

Putin claims ‘united front’ in Russia after mutiny to leaders of China-led bloc SCO

President Vladimir Putin told the leaders of the China-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that Russians presented a “united front” against the short-lived insurrection by Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin which was recognized internationally as an unprecedented challenged to Putin’s authority.

Putin told the SCO leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that: “In this current situation, our country continues to develop steadily. The Russian people are consolidated as never before,” according to the Kremlin.

He stressed: “The solidarity and high responsibility for the fate of the Fatherland was clearly demonstrated by the Russian political circles and the entire society by coming out as a united front against the attempted armed rebellion.”

Putin then thanked the leaders of the countries “who expressed support for the actions of the Russian leadership to protect the constitutional order, the life and security of citizens. We highly appreciate it.”

Wagner’s Prigozhin had started a brief revolt last week which swiftly ended with him calling off his Wagner forces’ march on Moscow after agreeing to a deal which would see him exiled in Belarus without any legal action taken against him in Russia thanks to the mediation of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.

Prigozhin’s mutiny had a resounding impact within Russia and internationally as well. The general consensus amongst international politicians and analysts is that the mutiny had weakened Putin and raised questions about his ruling with an iron fist at a critical time when his forces confront an intense counter-offensive in Ukraine.

In the wake of Prigozhin’s brief revolt, Russian leadership swiftly moved to project a semblance of stability, calm, and control. Putin had stressed in an address to the nation the importance of unity and patriotism in the face of enemy attempts to destabilize the country and fracture its society.

Overall, top Russian leadership used every instrument in their toolbox to create an image of unyielding authority, promote national unity, and to affirm their control over the country's security apparatus.

Mark N. Katz, Russian foreign policy expert and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told Al Arabiya English: “Conflict among subordinates, with one of them sending forces to march on the capital, does not look good for any dictator. I anticipate that there may now be other, more orchestrated, moves against Putin from inside the regular forces.”

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