The developments in Russia over the weekend show the "weakness" and "fragility" of the Russian regime, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday.
Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin's armed insurrection "demonstrated how difficult and dangerous it is for President [Vladimir] Putin to be relying on mercenaries that have actually turned against him," Stoltenberg said.
Stoltenberg went on to say that it is unclear what will happen in Russia over the next days and weeks. He added that NATO allies should not make the mistake of "underestimating" Moscow.
"So we need to continue to provide support to Ukraine, that's exactly what NATO and NATO allies are doing with military support but also support for the long term. And that's in a way what we can say today about the effects on the battlefield in Ukraine," he said during a news conference in Lithuania, alongside German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda.
What we know: Prigozhin on Friday accused Russia’s military of attacking a Wagner camp and killing a “huge amount” of his men. He vowed to retaliate with force, insinuating that his forces would “destroy” any resistance, including roadblocks and aircraft.
By Saturday, Prigozhin announced that he was turning his forces around from a march toward Moscow shortly after the Belarusian government claimed President Alexander Lukashenko had reached a deal with him to halt the advance. Prigozhin said the move was in accordance with an unspecified plan and intended to avoid Russian bloodshed.
Belarusian officials said they cannot confirm if Prigozhin has arrived in the country or what his status will be.
