Dear friends,
Today, I am addressing all the citizens of Russia once again.
Thank you for your restraint, cohesion, and patriotism.
This civic solidarity shows that any blackmail,
any attempt to stage domestic turmoil
is doomed to fail.
I will repeat,
society and the executive and legislative branches of government
at all levels displayed high consolidation.
Public organizations, religious denominations,
the leading political parties and actually all of Russian society held a firm line,
taking an explicit position of supporting constitutional order.
The main thing has united everyone, brought our people together --
responsibility for the destiny of the Fatherland.
I will emphasize that all necessary decisions
to neutralize the emerged threat and protect the constitutional system,
the life and security of our citizens were made instantly,
from the very beginning of the events.
An armed mutiny would have been suppressed in any event.
Mutiny plotters,
despite the loss of adequacy,
were bound to realize that.
They understood everything,
including the fact that their actions were criminal in nature,
aimed at polarizing people and weakening the country,
which is currently countering an enormous external threat
and unprecedented pressure from the outside.
They did this at a time when our comrades are dying on the frontline
with the words, “Not a step back!”
However, having betrayed their country and their people,
the leaders of this mutiny also betrayed those
whom they drew into their crime.
They lied to them,
pushed them to their death, putting them under attack,
forcing them to shoot their people.
It was exactly this outcome,
fratricide, that the enemies of Russia
and the neo-Nazis in Kiev,
their Western patrons,
and other national traitors wanted to see.
They wanted Russian soldiers to kill each other;
they wanted the military and civilians to die;
they wanted Russia to lose eventually,
and our society to break up and perish in a bloody feud.
They were rubbing their hands together
and dreaming of revenge for their failures at the frontline
and in the course of the so-called counteroffensive.
But they miscalculated.
I want to thank all our servicemen,
law enforcement, and special services officers
who stood in the mutineers’ way,
remaining faithful to their duty,
their oath, and their people.
Courage and self-sacrifice of the fallen hero pilots
have saved Russia from tragic and devastating consequences.
At the same time,
we knew before and know now
that the majority of Wagner Group soldiers and commanders
are also Russian patriots,
loyal to their people and their state.
Their courage on the battlefield
when liberating Donbass and Novorossiya proves this.
An attempt was made to use them without their knowledge
against their comrades-in-arms
with whom they were fighting shoulder to shoulder
for their country and its future.
That is why, as soon as these events started to unfold,
in keeping with my direct instructions,
steps were taken to avoid spilling blood.
It required time, among other things,
as those who made a mistake had to be given a chance
to change their minds,
to realize that their actions would be strongly rejected by society,
to understand what tragic and devastating consequences for Russia,
for our country, the reckless attempt they had been drawn into
was leading to.
I express my gratitude to those Wagner Group soldiers and commanders
who had taken the right decision, the only one possible.
They chose not to engage in fratricidal bloodshed
and stopped before reaching the point of no return.
Today, you have the opportunity to continue your service to Russia
by signing a contract with the Defense Ministry
or other law enforcement or security agency,
or, return home to your relatives.
Those who want to are free to go to Belarus.
I will keep my promise.
Again, everyone is free to decide on their own,
but I believe their choice will be that of Russian soldiers
who realize they have made a tragic mistake.
I am grateful to President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko
for his efforts
and contribution to the peaceful settlement of the situation.
I would like to repeat that
the patriotic sentiments of our people
and the consolidation of Russian society
played a decisive role during these days.
This support has allowed us to pull through the toughest challenges
and trials for our Motherland, together.
Thank you for this.
I am grateful for that.