Putin vows those behind Russian mercenary rebellion will face justice

Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed Monday that those responsible for the armed revolt that plunged his regime into crisis would “be brought to justice.”

Addressing the nation for the first time since the short-lived rebellion ended over the weekend, Putin appeared defiant but offered little clarity about his planned response.

“Any blackmail is doomed to failure,” he said, claiming his forces could have crushed a mutiny that posed the biggest challenge to his rule in more than 20 years had the mercenary fighters not turned back from Moscow.

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