Blinken discusses ‘ongoing situation in Russia’ with Polish FM
Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the “ongoing situation in Russia” with Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau, a state department spokesperson said.
In their telephone conversation, Blinken welcomed Poland’s “sustained assistance to Ukraine and its people, and underscored that U.S. support to Ukraine will not change,” Matthew Miller said.
Rostov mayor complains that Wagner forces damaged roads
Military vehicles used when Wagner Group mercenaries marched into Rostov-on-Don damaged a number roads, the city’s mayor told state media Sunday.
Alexei Logvinenko said that more than 10,000 square meters (12,000 yards) of roadways were in need of repair in a post on this Telegram channel, alongside pictures of the damage.
Budennovsky Avenue, a large historic road in the city’s center leading to the river Don was the most damaged by the group, he said, adding that repairs would begin Sunday.
Traffic restrictions remain on major highway linking Moscow to south
Traffic restrictions remain in place on a major highway in Moscow and the Tula region, Russia’s federal road agency Avtodor told state media Sunday.
The M-4 “Don connects Moscow to Russia’s southern regions and travel from the Russian capital and the Lipetsk region was temporarily limited.
Avtodor had advised drivers to avoid the M-4 on Satuday amid reports that convoys of Wagner fighters were using the road.
Ukraine targets city taken where Wagner Group aided Russian victory
Ukraine’s military said Saturday that it had made advances near Bakhmut, the eastern city where Wagner Group forces helped to delivery a badly needed victory for Russian President Vladimir Putin last month.
Ukraine’s Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar reported “progress in all directions” in a post on Telegram. She said that her country’s forces had launched offensives in a ring of villages surrounding the city.
Russian forces first tried to take Bakhmut in August 2022, and became increasingly dependent on Wagner forces to maintain ground in the invasion’s longest and bloodiest battle.
Several helicopters downed during uprising, Russian media reports
Several helicopters and a military communications plane were downed by Wagner troops during the short-lived uprising, Russian media reported late Saturday.
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin previously said his forces had taken control of the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, as well as other military facilities in the city without any deaths or even “a single gunshot.”
The Kremlin referred the question about the losses to the defense ministry, which has not commented on the matter.
Putin weakened despite end of rebellion, former U.S. ambassador to Russia says
President Vladimir Putin appeared relatively unscathed in the aftermath of a failed attempt to upend Russia’s military, but a former U.S. ambassador to Russia said he may never be the same.
Win or lose, the attempt by Prigozhin to change military leadership to his liking would have likely seen Putin remain as the country’s top leader, said Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia under then-President Barack Obama.
Nonetheless, the attempted coup watched around the world left the leader with less power, McFaul said on NBC Nightly News Saturday.
“I don’t think he’s mortally weakened,” said McFaul, also a former Obama adviser who specialized in Russia. “I think he can survive this. But he is much weaker today than he was just 24 hours ago.”
Blinken assures Ukraine’s foreign minister U.S. support is steady
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured Ukraine’s foreign minister that America’s support for his nation is unwavering.
Blinken spoke with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Saturday about the aftermath of the Wagner rebellion.
The repercussions of the apparent retreat for Ukraine weren’t clear, but Blinken’s spokesperson, Matthew Miller, reiterated that the United States, Ukraine’s biggest underwriter during the war, will remain undeterred.
“Support by the United States for Ukraine will not change,” Miller said. “The United States will stay in close coordination with Ukraine as the situation develops.”
