Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has attributed the failed coup in Russia to President Vladimir Putin’s ill-fated decision to invade Ukraine. The coup, led by Russian mercenaries under Yevgeny Prigozhin, came close to reaching Moscow but was halted through the intervention of Belarus. However, Albanese believes that the situation in Russia is far from resolved.
Albanese emphasized that the illegal invasion of Ukraine has had disastrous consequences for both Ukraine and Russia. He received numerous briefings over the weekend regarding the international events and stated that Putin should withdraw from the illegal invasion and abide by international law.
Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group, announced his intention to lead a “march for justice” to remove corrupt Russian commanders responsible for mishandling the war with Ukraine. The situation, closely monitored by the US, France, Germany, Britain, and their allies, remains unstable.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged Australians in Russia to leave immediately.