Russia's president thanked citizens for their unity, adding that most of Wagner Group's troops were "patriots" who made the right decision by turning back from their march to Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin thanked commanders and soldiers from the Wagner Group private military company during an address to the nation Monday.
He thanked Russians for their "endurance, unity and patriotism," adding that most of Wagner's forces were "patriots."
However, he warned that any attempt of blackmail or unrest in Russia was "doomed to fail."
"From the start of the events, on my order steps were taken to avoid large-scale bloodshed," the Russian leader said.
"It was precisely this fratricide that Russia's enemies wanted: both the neo-Nazis in Kyiv and their Western patrons, and all sorts of national traitors," Putin said.
"They wanted Russian soldiers to kill each other," he added.
