"Whoever chooses path of evil destroys himself": Zelenskyy after Wagner Group's rebellion against Russia

Kyiv [Ukraine], June 24 : Slamming Moscow hours after the Wagner group launched a rebellion against Russian military facilities, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that everyone who chooses the path of evil "destroys" himself.

This comes after Yevgeny Prigozhin, the alleged head of the Wagner mercenary group, in a series of recordings released on social media on Saturday, announced that his troops had taken control of military facilities in two Russian cities.

Taking to Twitter, Zelenskyy said, "Everyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself. Who sends columns of troops to destroy the lives of another country and cannot stop them from fleeing and betraying when life resists. Who terrorizes with missiles, and when they are shot down, humiliates himself to receive Shahed drones. Who despises people and throws hundreds of thousands into the war, in order to eventually barricade himself in the Moscow region from those whom he himself armed".

Accusing Russia of using "propaganda" to "mask its weakness", the Ukrainian President said that this attack by Wagner group exposes Russia's "full-scale weakness".

"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. And all this is one person, who again and again scares by the year 1917, although he is able to result in nothing else but this," he said.

Zelenskyy added, "Russia's weakness is obvious. Full-scale weakness. And the longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on our land, the more chaos, pain, and problems it will have for itself later. It is also obvious. Ukraine is able to protect Europe from the spread of Russian evil and chaos".

"We keep our resilience, unity and strength. All our commanders, all our soldiers know what to do. Glory to Ukraine!" he added in his tweet.

Earlier in the day, Russia's President Vladimir Putin in a televised address to the nation said that the "armed mutiny" by the Wagner Group is a "stab in the back" and vowed to punish those who were on the "path of treason" or anyone who takes up arms against the Russian military.

He said in televised address, "Renegade actions against those fighting in the front is a stab in the back of our country," CNN reported. Putin also pledged a harsh response and punishment to those who plan "an armed rebellion".

"We will defend both our people and our statehood from any threats, including internal treachery. What we have been confronted with can be precisely called treachery. The unbounded ambitions and personal interests have led to treason and a betrayal of the country and its people," Putin was cited by TASS.