War in Ukraine: what to remember on the 487th day of the Russian invasion

In a televised address on Monday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated himself on having “avoided the bloodshed” that, according to him, Ukraine and the West wanted during the aborted rebellion of the Wagner fighters, to whom he offered to join the army or leave. For his part, in an audio message broadcast on Monday afternoon, Yevgeny Prigojine affirmed that his goal was not to overthrow Russian power but to save his paramilitary group threatened with being absorbed by the army.

The Ukrainian army said on Monday that it had liberated Rivnopil, a locality in the Donetsk region located on the southern front, in the area where Kiev troops have made slight progress in recent weeks.

Putin says he avoided the ‘bloodshed’ the West and kyiv wanted

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that he gave the order “to avoid bloodshed” that he said Ukraine and the West wanted during the failed rebellion of the paramilitary group Wagner. “From the beginning of the events, measures were taken on my direct instructions in order to avoid a great bloodshed”, declared Vladimir Putin during a televised address, judging that the West, Ukraine wanted “a such a fratricidal outcome”.

Vladimir Putin also felt that Russia had proven that “blackmail” was doomed to failure after the rebellion of Wagner’s troops, while offering them to join the army, go to Belarus or return home. “I thank you (the Russians) for your resilience, your unity and your patriotism. This citizen solidarity has shown that any blackmail (…) is doomed to failure”, he said in an address to the nation, before proposing to the soldiers of the paramilitary group to sign a contract with the regular army, to “return to their families and to their loved ones” or to “go to Belarus”.

Yevgeny Prigojine comes out of the silence

The head of Wagner said Monday in a first audio message after the end of his rebellion that his goal was not to overthrow Russian power but to save his paramilitary group threatened with being absorbed by the army. “The purpose of the march was not to allow the destruction of the Wagner group,” said Yevgeny Prigojine in an 11-minute message, assuring that the objective was “not to overthrow power in the country”.

In his first audio message, the head of Wagner also claimed that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had offered solutions to allow the paramilitary group to continue operating. “Alexander Lukashenko extended his hand and offered to find solutions for the continuation of the work of the Wagner group in a legal way,” said Yevgeny Prigozhin, according to whom the real objective of the armed rebellion was to save Wagner, threatened at his dismantling eyes by the authorities.

The leader of the paramilitary group Wagner, Evguéni Prigojine, also indicated Monday that his men had received the support of the inhabitants of the localities crossed during his rebellion in Russia. “Civilians came to meet us with Russian flags and Wagner emblems, they were happy when we arrived and passed by them,” he said in his audio message.

Wagner’s spectacular advance towards Moscow in his rebellion on Saturday revealed “serious security problems” in Russia, his boss Yevgeny Prigojine said on Monday, saying his men had traveled 780 kilometers and clashed with little of resistance. “The march has brought to light serious security concerns in the country,” Wagner’s leader said in his first audio message since the uprising ended on Saturday night. He did not reveal his whereabouts, while the Kremlin assured that he would leave for Belarus, without however saying when.

Zelensky on the move in the Donetsk region, near the front in eastern Ukraine

Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Donetsk region near the eastern front in Ukraine on Monday, the Ukrainian presidency said in a statement, as his army is carrying out a counter-offensive in this area and in the south. Volodymyr Zelensky “visited units of the armed forces of the operational and strategic group of Khortytsia”, alongside the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, Oleksandre Syrsky, and decorated soldiers, according to the presidency.

“I want to thank you, reward you all and shake hands with great gratitude, you, your families, your parents,” the Ukrainian president said, addressing the military. “Ukraine is proud of each of you,” he said.

Sweden announces €32.5 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Sweden announced Monday a new humanitarian aid of 380 million crowns (32.5 million euros) for Ukraine, devoted to basic necessities. “We know there will be great humanitarian needs,” said Trade Minister Johan Forsell, citing Ukraine’s counter-offensive against Russian forces, as well as the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.

This aid package is primarily aimed at the “most urgent needs”, he said: food, water, care products and various support for civil society. “This year, Ukraine is the first beneficiary of Swedish aid”, according to the minister, which should continue for years to come, he added. Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Sweden has announced 1.9 billion crowns (nearly 163 million euros) in humanitarian aid to the country, in addition to the approximately 17 billion crowns military aid.

First appearance of Putin since the end of the rebellion, in a video of the Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his first appearance on Monday since the end of the Wagner paramilitary revolt, addressing a forum devoted to industry and youth in a video released by the Kremlin. The video shows the president seated at a desk, without it being possible to determine where and when it was filmed.

In the speech, he does not mention the armed mutiny that rocked Russia, but mentions the “challenges” that the industry faces as a result of Western sanctions.