Western media's coverage of Prigozhin events wishful thinking

FM Lavrov

TEHRAN, (MNA) – Western media apparently indulged in "wishful thinking," covering the events around the situation with the aborted mutiny attempt by Wagner chief, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.

On Monday, Sergey Lavrov reacted to US media reports claiming that the US had allegedly been informed in advance of Prigozhin's upcoming rebellion but decided not to tell anyone about it.

"This was probably wishful thinking, there is such a way to convey what our Western colleagues experienced yesterday and Saturday evening. I got acquainted with how events in Russia are covered," Lavrov said in an interview with Russian media, Sputnik news agency reported on Monday.

On French policy stance, Lavrov added, "The recent remark of French President Emmanuel Macron about the events around Wagner group, indicate that he clearly saw a chance to realize the threat of the West inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia."

On Saturday, Macron said that Paris was closely watching the situation in Russia, but remained focused on supporting Ukraine.

"I think ... [everyone] will understand the position advocated by Macron, who clearly sees the current development of events as a chance to carry out the threat, like a mantra repeated by NATO leaders, that Ukraine should inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. Meaning, of course, not Ukraine, but the entire Western camp," Lavrov said, according to Sputnik.

On US policy stance, the Russian foreign minister said stressed that US ambassador Lynne Tracy claimed that the situation around Wagner group is the internal affair of Russia.

"When US ambassador Tracy spoke with Russian representatives [regarding the situation with Prigozhin] yesterday, she conveyed signals. These signals were, first of all, that the United States had nothing to do with it, that the United States very much hopes that nuclear weapons will be fine, that American diplomats will not suffer, and it was especially emphasized: the United States proceeds from the fact that everything that happens is an internal affair of Russia," Lavrov said in an interview with Russian media.