During the meeting, Putin said that the people and the army “were not on the side of the mutineers”. Putin also called for a minute’s silence for army pilots killed by Wagner during the uprising. There is still no official information on how many pilots were killed or how many planes were shot down during the Wagner uprising, but some pro-military bloggers have reported that at least 13 pilots were killed in the mutiny.
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In his speech, Putin addressed units of the Defense Ministry, the Federal Guarantee Service, the Federal Security Service, the Interior Ministry and the Federal Guarantee Service.
“You have proven your loyalty to the Russian people and the military oath”
“You have protected the constitutional order, life, safety and liberty of our citizens. You saved our homeland from turmoil, you actually stopped the civil war. In the difficult situation, you acted clearly and well-coordinated, proved your loyalty to the Russian people and the military oath, and showed your responsibility for the fate of the Motherland and its future.”
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“The people and the army did not side with the rebels, the determination and courage of the military, as well as the consolidation of society, played a decisive role in suppressing the uprising,” the president stressed.