NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated on Monday, June 26, that the failed mutiny by Russia’s Wagner mercenary group over the weekend highlighted the significant strategic mistake made by the Kremlin in waging war on Ukraine.

The Wagner fighters, who had advanced towards Moscow, abruptly withdrew from the city of Rostov and returned to their bases under a deal ensuring their safety.

This turn of events, which posed the most substantial threat to President Vladimir Putin’s presidency in two decades, involved Wagner commander Yevgeny Prigozhin agreeing to relocate to Belarus as mediated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

NATO views this internal Russian turmoil as a consequence of Putin’s illegal annexation of Crimea and the war against Ukraine, emphasizing the strategic blunder it represents.

The situation has left Western governments uncertain about future developments in Russia, particularly concerning its nuclear arsenal and ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

Stoltenberg expressed NATO’s monitoring of the situation in Belarus and condemned Russia’s announcement of deploying nuclear weapons there, affirming NATO’s vigilance and strong deterrence in an increasingly perilous world.