‘Hard to tell’ if Putin weakened by Wagner revolt: Biden

WASHINGTON 

President Joe Biden said Wednesday “it is hard to tell” if Russian President Vladimir Putin is weakened by recent events surrounding a Wagner Group revolt earlier this week.

“It’s hard to tell but he is clearly losing the war in Iraq,” Biden told reporters at the White House, mistakenly referring to Iraq rather than Ukraine.

“He’s losing the war at home and he has become a bit of a pariah around the world,” he said.

Asked if the Russian leader is weaker today, Biden responded: “I know.”

The Russian paramilitary group accused Russian forces on Friday of attacking its fighters before the group crossed into Rostov-on-Don from Ukraine.

The Federal Security Service initiated a criminal case for armed rebellion. Putin called it “treason.”

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the group’s leader, initially planned to go to Moscow, leading to increased security measures.

However, they turned back to avoid bloodshed when near Moscow.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed he held talks with the Wagner’s head after getting Putin’s consent, and that Prigozhin accepted a de-escalation deal.

• Joe Biden
• Putin