Russian Veteran Aleksandr Lunin Retracts Viral Mutiny Threat After 1 Day

1 articles · Updated · Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty · Jun 26

A day after warning that “the army will turn its weapons against the Kremlin,” Aleksandr Lunin said on June 26 his remarks were twisted and denied threatening a military mutiny.
Millions of views on his June 25 Instagram video amplified claims that officers torture soldiers, punish those rejecting “suicidal” orders, and demand bribes to avoid frontline combat; Lunin said he had received thousands of messages backing that account.
Dmitry Peskov said the Kremlin knew of the appeal but called its wording “strange” and declined detailed comment before reviewing it, without clarifying whether officials had seen Lunin’s retraction.
The episode lands amid visible war fatigue in Russia, economic strain and falling approval for Vladimir Putin, almost exactly 3 years after Yevgeny Prigozhin’s aborted march on Moscow.