Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted Saturday to the situation in Russia, where the mercenary Wagner Group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, seized control of the Russian military headquarters in the city of Rostov-on-Don.
Zelenskyy said in a Twitter post, “For a long time, Russia used propaganda to mask its weakness and the stupidity of its government. And now there is so much chaos that no lie can hide it.”
Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted a message to the international community, urging it to abandon what he called “false neutrality” concerning Russia and supply Ukraine with the weaponry it needs to defend itself against the Russian incursion.
The White House said it is monitoring the standoff between top Russian military officials and the Wagner force and will be consulting with allies and partners on developments, National Security Council spokesperson Adam Hodge told VOA Friday.
The British Defense Ministry said Saturday the loyalty of Russia’s security forces and “especially the Russian National Guard” will be key factors in how the extraordinary events playing out in Russia will eventually unfold.
In France, President Emmanuel Macron’s office said the president is focused on “support to Ukraine.’”
Germany's foreign ministry has advised travelers to avoid Rostov and Moscow “until further notice.” “We are monitoring the situation,” Hodge told NBC News, “and will be consulting with allies and partners on these developments.”
Foreign leaders from Central and Eastern Europe countries reacted in social media on Saturday (June 24) to the news from Russia.
In Poland, President Andrzej Duda held consultations with the prime minister and defense ministry about the situation in Russia. Duda said in a tweet Warsaw was monitoring the situation.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas said in a tweet his government has strengthen border security and urged citizens not to travel to any part of neighboring Russia.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said his government is following the situation in Russia closely. In a tweet he added, "I see my summer holiday in Crimea is getting closer."
In the Middle East, Qatar expressed concern over the crisis in Russia. A statement from the foreign ministry called for “maximum restraint” from all parties, warning that escalation in Russia and Ukraine will negatively impact international peace and security.
Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
