Biden Says U.S. 'Had Nothing To Do With' Wagner Mutiny In Russia

President Joe Biden said on Monday that the United States and its allies strongly communicated to the Kremlin that they were not involved in the short-lived mutiny in Russia this weekend by the Wagner mercenary group.

On Saturday, the private military company’s far-right leader Yevgeny Prigozhin led an armed rebellion focused on Russia’s military brass ― specifically Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ― accusing them of botching the war against Ukraine and attacking his fighters. The Kremlin has denied attacking Wagner fighters.

Wagner mercenaries who were fighting in Ukraine on behalf of Russia left to seize a military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, a city in southern Russia. Prigozhin, once a protege of Russian President Vladimir Putin, then led his uprising largely unopposed for hundreds of miles toward Moscow, before halting the march less than 24 hours later.