MOSCOW, June 24. /TASS/. Tough measures will be taken against those who organized an armed rebellion, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address.

"Any internal strife poses a fatal threat to our statehood and us as a nation; it is a blow to Russia and its people. Our actions to protect our Homeland will be tough. Everyone who deliberately took the path of betrayal and prepared an armed rebellion, who took the path of blackmail and adopted terrorist methods, will face imminent punishment. They will be held accountable before the law and the people," he pointed out.

The president noted that "the armed forces and other government agencies have received all the necessary orders." "Additional counter-terrorism measures have been introduced in Moscow, the Moscow Region and a number of other regions," the head of state said.

Earlier, several audio recordings were posted on the Telegram channel of Wagner private military company founder Yevgeny Prigozhin. He particularly claimed that his forces had come under attack, which he blamed on the country’s military authorities. In this regard, the Federal Security Service (FSB) launched a criminal investigation into calls for an armed rebellion. The Russian Defense Ministry slammed allegations of a strike on the Wagner PMC’s "rear camps" as fake news. The FSB warned Wagner fighters against following Prigozhin’s orders and called on them to take action to detain him. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had been informed of the situation around Prigozhin and "the necessary measures are being taken.".