An early transcript of Lukashenko now ongoing interview about the Prigozhin mutiny
"By Saturday morning from 8 o'clock in the morning I already receive disturbing information about the situation in Russia. Someone there tells me what is being written in these Telegram channels, messengers... Through the FSB and our State Security Committee, General Tertel reports to me: Putin wants to get in touch. Please. At 10:10 he called me and informed me in details about the situation that is happening in Russia.
Asked Putin a few questions, including the opposition to this, I understood that the situation is complicated. I will not specify this part of the conversation.
The most dangerous thing, as I understood it, is not what the situation was, but how it could develop and its consequences. That was the most dangerous thing. I also understood: a brutal decision was made (which was the implication of Putin's speech) - to smash. I suggested that Putin should take his time. Let's talk to Prigozhin, to his commanders. To which he told me: "Look, Sasha, it's no use. He doesn't even pick up the phone, he doesn't want to talk to anybody.
I asked him: "Where is he?" - "In Rostov." I say: "Good. A bad peace is better than any war. Take your time. I'll try to get in touch with him." Once again he says, "It's no use." I say, "OK, wait." Somewhere we talked for maybe half an hour. Then he informed me that he was at the front. I remember him saying, "You know, it's strangely better at the front than it's ever been." I said, "You see, it's not all so sad."
Eleven o'clock. I still had to find those phones. I said, "How do I get in touch with him? Give me the phone." He says, "The FSB probably has a phone." We checked. By the middle of the day, we had established three channels we could use to talk to Rostov".
"At 11:00 he (Prigozhin) instantly picked up the phone.
That is, Evkurov called him, gave him the phone: "Here, the President of Belarus is calling, will you talk to him? - "I will speak to Aleksandr Grigorievich".
I can hear them talking. I picked up the receiver. The conversation is euphoric. Yevgeny is totally euphoric.
We talked the first round for about 30 minutes in foul language.
Exclusively. There were 10 times more swear words (I analysed it later) than normal vocabulary. He, of course, apologised and started to tell me in swear words.
"The guys had just come from the front. They had seen thousands of their dead guys. The guys are very offended, especially the commanders. And, as I understand it, they were very influenced (I pre-calculated this) by Prigozhin himself.
Yes, he is such a, you know, heroic guy, but he was pressured and influenced very much by those who led assault groups and saw these deaths. And so in this situation, having jumped out of there into Rostov, in such a half-raged state I have this dialogue with him".
"I say: 'Zhenya, no one will give you Shoigu or Gerasimov, no one, especially in this situation. You know Putin as well as I do. Secondly, because of the situation he won't even talk on the phone with you, let alone meet you. He remains silent.
"But we want justice! They want to strangle us! We will go to Moscow!" I said: "Halfway through you will be crushed like a bedbug. Despite the fact that the troops (Putin told me about this for a long time) are diverted on the relevant front." Think about it, I say. "No - such is the euphoria."
"For a long time I persuaded him. And in the end I said: 'You know, you can do what you want. But don't hold it against me. The brigade is prepared to be transferred to Moscow. And like in 1941 - you read books, you are an educated, intelligent man (Lol) - we are going to defend Moscow. Because this situation is not only in Russia.
It is not only because it is our Motherland. But because God forbid this turmoil would have spread throughout Russia, and the prerequisites for that were colossal, we were next.
tass.com
Think about how Prigozhin has THRIVED and become world-famous during the past year he has spent wearing military fatigues - through heat and cold - in disease-infested, blood-soaked, ruined terrain. People have been projecting onto him that it must be that the awful conditions there have been getting to him of late, therefore he 'snapped'. What if, instead, he LOVES those conditions, and was prepared to tear down the Russian government to prevent those conditions being 'taken away from him'?
rtvi.com
