China expresses support for Russia after the Wagner riots are thwarted

Reuters – China supports Russia in maintaining its national stability, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday, a day after a failed rebellion by a Wagner group of heavily armed mercenaries.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Andrei Rudenko, held talks in Beijing on “international” issues on Sunday, in the wake of the most serious challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s authority since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“The Chinese side expressed support for the efforts of the leadership of the Russian Federation to stabilize the situation in the country regarding the events of June 24, and affirmed its interest in promoting Russia’s cohesion and greater prosperity,” the Chinese foreign ministry said. Russia.

China’s Foreign Ministry initially only said that Rudenko had exchanged views with Chinese Foreign Minister Chen Gang on Sino-Russian relations, as well as “international and regional issues of common concern”.

He later said that China supports Russia in maintaining its national stability and that the recent escalation in tensions in Russia is Russia’s “internal affairs”.

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It was not clear when Rudenko arrived in Beijing, or if his visit to China, Russia’s main ally, was in response to the apparent rebellion led by mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

The rebellion was called off on Saturday in a deal that saved Prigozhin and his mercenaries from facing criminal charges in exchange for Prigozhin returning his fighters to the base and moving to Belarus.