SGGP 06/25/2023 05:43

On June 24, the Russian Anti-Terrorism Committee said that the Prosecutor General's Office and the Federal Security Service (FSB) had opened a criminal investigation against Yevgeny Prigozhin on charges of inciting an armed rebellion. If convicted, the Wagner group boss could face 12 to 20 years in prison.

Leader Wagner. Photo: AFP

All the necessary provisions to bring the organizers of the uprisings to justice are available in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, there is no need to amend the existing law, said Andrey Klishas, ​​head of the Committee on Legislation, Constitution and State Building of the Federation Council (upper house of the Russian parliament).

On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin also signed a law allowing 30-day detention for those who violate martial law in places where martial law has been imposed.

The law was introduced after the head of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, declared control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don and demanded a meeting with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, or Wagner would blockade Rostov and advance on Moscow. Authorities in the Kaluga region, south of Moscow, imposed travel restrictions as Wagner mercenary units moved toward the Russian capital.

In a televised speech on the situation in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, President Vladimir Putin declared that he would do everything to protect Russia. The Russian leader stressed that Yevgeny Prigozhin's statement and attempted coup were a betrayal of Russia and its people. Currently, special units of the Russian National Guard have been put on alert.

Meanwhile, Belarus, Türkiye, Kazakhstan and Iran expressed their support for the Russian President.

* On June 24, information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: In recent days, the security and order situation in Rostov-on-Don city and some southern regions of the Russian Federation has had complicated developments. In light of the above situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed the Embassy and representative agencies of Vietnam in the Russian Federation to closely monitor the situation and prepare plans to protect and support citizens, especially the Vietnamese community in the above areas.