Putin is currently facing what could be the biggest threat to his authority in all the years of his reign. The Wagner group, the challenger of Putin’s power, has already claimed control over two Russian cities and has threatened to take over Moscow.
Internal tension is on the rise as Putin is now at war with not only outside forces but is also facing a coup inside the motherland. On Saturday, the president stated that those on the path of treason would be punished without naming any particular individual or group.
Thousands of Wagner troops closed in on Russia’s capital, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the group’s founder. A bloody face-off was expected between the government force and the Wagner fighters; however, it never occurred.
According to Kremlin, a deal has been reached with Prigozhin to end the insurrection. Thus, the group leader has headed to Belarus while the troops are slowly returning from the march.
Amid this crucial stage, news of the Russian presidential aircraft leaving the premises reached the masses. This led to people questioning if the president was fleeing from his responsibilities. Is it really so, or was it a pre-planned visit?
Did Putin Really Leave Russia?
According to Nexta, a Belarusian media outlet, Putin’s plane took off from Moscow toward St. Petersburg and disappeared from the radar near Tver. Dmitry Peskov, the presidential spokesperson, denied the claim of Putin leaving and simply stated that he is working at the Kremlin.
The aircraft was seen leaving on Saturday at 14:16 Moscow time, according to a report by FlightRadar data. It is unclear where the plane was headed since it disappeared from the tracking system. It was also reported that the president has a residential property near the Tver region, so it might be a family visit.
Previously, Putin’s Aide, Yuri Ushakov, had told the Russian Interfax that the president of Turkey had confirmed an invitation to Putin to visit Turkey. While there are plans, specific terms have yet to be discussed.
The sudden trip might be to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan or for a completely different purpose.
However, it is improbable that Putin left the country in the middle of a hostile coup. Since the insurrection with the Wagner group was settled on Saturday, there is no reason to believe that Putin’s authority faces a challenge.
Many questions remain regarding the complete change of attitude towards the Wagner group. How did the same president that called for the heads of the rebels let everything settle down so soon?
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov even stated that Kremlin has “always respected (Wagner’s) heroic deeds.” Furthermore, the group will face no legal action, and the criminal case against Prigozhin will be dropped.
The deal between Prigozhin and the Russian government will suspend the significant challenge to Putin’s power. Prigozhin announced soon after that his men, who were just 120 miles away from Moscow, will retreat, and no more Russian blood would be shed.
Now that the dramatic march on Moscow has been called off, Russia no longer faces the possibility of a civil war. The news probably comes at the best time since Russian citizens were already divided between the presidential rule and the Wagner group.
Now that the threat of a coup is no longer casting a shadow on Russia, Putin’s flight is no longer suspicious. Still, where do you think the president’s little detour was?
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