Ukraine sees the next 48 hours as "crucial" for Russia while the international community awaits

The EU describes the capture of Rostov by Wagner as an "internal matter" of Russia and awaits developments

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadirov declares his unwavering support for Putin

MADRID, 24 (EUROPA PRESS) - The adviser to the Ukrainian Presidency Mikhailo Podoliak considers that the next 48 hours will decide the future of Russia if the maneuver against the Russian Ministry of Defense launched by the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeni, bears fruit or not Prigozhin, whose forces have taken Rostov headquarters and are heading to Moscow.

"The next 48 hours will define the new status of Russia. Either it degenerates into a complete civil war, or it opens a negotiated transition of power, or it supposes an episode before the next phase of the fall of Vladimir Putin", he has made known in his twitter account.

"All the potential players are deciding right now which side they are on," added the adviser, in a message published shortly after precisely one of these actors, the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadirov, declared his unwavering support for the Russian president against this "stab in the back", the expression most used by the Russian authorities, with the president at the head, to describe what happened.

"Friends, the night has been difficult and so far I have not had time to express my opinion here about this vile betrayal. What is happening is a stab in the back and a real military coup," Kadirov, who has arrived, has made known. to fight side by side with Wagner's forces during the Ukrainian war, on his Telegram account.

"I appeal to the fighters and patriots not to fall for provocations. The security of the state and the cohesion of the Russian society at that time are above all. I support every word of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin," he added.

Following his usual fiery rhetoric, the Chechen leader has put his strength and his own health to stop Prighozin. "If necessary, I will sacrifice my life for the homeland. Prighozin must be stopped. My troops will enter the battle," he declared.

Other Putin allies who have added their support to the president have been the heads of the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, several regional governors and the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Cyril, who has called for national unity, and asked Wagner's fighters to "think twice".

"When enemies are doing everything possible to destroy Russia, any attempt to sow discord within the country is the greatest crime that has no justification. As the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, I appeal to those who, having taken the weapons and are ready to use them against their brothers", think twice.

THE END OF NEUTRALITY

On the Ukrainian side, before the president, Volodimir Zelensky, did so, the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Dimitro Kuleba, has valued what happened as a turning point in which the countries neutral to the war must urgently reconsider their position.

"To those who said that Russia was too strong to lose: look now. It's time to abandon false neutrality and fear of escalation; give Ukraine all the necessary weapons; forget about friendship or business with Russia. It's time to put an end to the evil that everyone despises but was too afraid to bring down," Kuleba said.

In the end, it was Zelensky who published his opinion on Wagner's rebellion, which he described as an example of Russia's self-destruction stemming from its decision to launch its invasion on Ukrainian soil.

"Everyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself," Zelenski declared on his Twitter account, in his first statements after what happened.

The Ukrainian president has pointed directly to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, being this president "who sends columns of troops to destroy the life of another country and cannot prevent them from fleeing when life resists", who "terrorizes with missiles while humiliates himself to receive Shahed drones" from Iran and who "contempts people and throws hundreds of thousands of people into war, only to end up entrenched in Moscow from those to whom he himself handed over the weapons".

THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY, WAITING IN THE MIDDLE OF TENSION

Several international leaders have limited themselves to reacting with great caution to the progress of events, starting with the European Union, which has considered the situation an "internal Russian matter" and is limiting itself for the moment to "monitoring the situation". , in the words of the spokesman for the European Commission, Eric Mamer.

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, has echoed these words. "It is clear that it is an internal Russian problem and our support for Ukraine is unwavering," he confirmed in a message posted on Twitter.

However, border countries such as Estonia have expressed more acute concern, as the country's Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, reported this Saturday, who confirmed that she has given an order to "reinforce border security."

"Estonia is closely following the development of the situation in Russia and exchanges information with the allies. I can assure you that there is no direct threat to our country," he said on his Twitter account.

Kallas and the Prime Minister of Latvia, Krisjanis Karins, have held a three-way conversation with the Prime Minister of Finland, Petteri Orpo to "agree on close cooperation" in light of what may happen in the next few hours, the Finnish president has made known.

Poland, which borders Ukraine and Belarus, is also particularly interested in following the situation, as the president, Andrzej Duda, has made known on his Twitter account. "Due to the situation in Russia, I have held consultations this morning with the Prime Minister (Mateusz Morawiecki) and the Defense Ministry, as well as with our allies."

"We are constantly following the course of events beyond our eastern border," added the president.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who, according to the Élysée, is also closely following what happened, as well as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who wanted to point out that Wagner's rebellion "is a testimony of how The aggression against Ukraine is also causing instability within the Russian Federation."

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has placed special emphasis on the protection of civilians "through an exercise of responsibility", in statements to the BBC. "The UK is closely monitoring the situation, we are in contact with our allies and, in fact, I will speak to some of them later today," he said.

Other leaders, such as the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, have also certified that "the Romanian authorities are closely following the evolution of events in Russia, in constant contact with the allies."