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Situation in Russia
26 June 2023
Lead MP
James Cleverly
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
UkraineDefence
Other Contributors: 29
At a Glance
James Cleverly raised concerns about situation in russia in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
With permission, Mr Speaker, I will update the House on the situation in Russia. The long-running feud between Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian armed forces reached a peak over the weekend when Prigozhin's Wagner Group refused to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defence by 1 July as ordered. On Friday, Prigozhin denounced the war effort for Ukraine as unjustified and unprovoked, accusing Putin’s military leadership of bringing 'evil' on the country. He declared a march on Moscow before calling off his operation and being pardoned by Putin. The Government monitors developments carefully and has been in touch with allies. Despite internal Russian unrest, the invasion of Ukraine continues; however, these events show that Russia's leadership cannot justify this war even to each other. The UK will support Ukraine’s self-defence and recovery.
David Lammy
Lab
Tottenham
Question
Have Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary spoken to Ukrainian counterparts today or over the weekend to reiterate UK’s long-term support? How will we grow Ukraine's breadth of support among a wider global coalition, including those in the global south?
Minister reply
The Government monitors developments carefully and has been in touch with allies. The UK will continue to support Ukraine’s self-defence and recovery.
David Lammy
Lab
Tottenham
Question
May I start by thanking the Foreign Secretary for being in touch over the weekend and providing briefings on Privy Council terms to His Majesty's official Opposition? Our greatest strength is unity. We are reassured that the Government have been working closely with allies and partners around the world. Has the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary spoken to their counterparts in Ukraine today or over the weekend to reaffirm UK’s commitment for the long haul against Putin's invasion? Prigozhin, a close ally of Putin, has challenged Putin's leadership and the false narrative justifying Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, stating that it is failing on its own terms. The Opposition agrees with proscribing Wagner Group as a terrorist organisation. What does the Foreign Secretary know about the future of Wagner Group and Prigozhin? The most significant impact of this weekend’s events will be on the conflict in Europe. Is the Foreign Secretary confident that Ukraine will get the support it needs militarily, economically, diplomatically, and humanitarianly in the months ahead?
Minister reply
The right hon. Gentleman raises important points about potential scenarios arising from Prigozhin's public attack on Putin’s authority, which we are analysing for mitigations if necessary. The Wagner Group operates beyond Ukraine, causing destabilising impacts globally. We support the Ukraine recovery conference and will continue to contact Ukrainian interlocuters through digital means during events in Russia. President Putin's actions in bombing cities while African leaders were present show that he is not a friend of those countries, undermining the UN charter.
Question
Putin has been significantly weakened in Russia. We must continue supporting Ukraine and fast-track its NATO membership at Vilnius. There should be no talk of deals or lifting sanctions on Russia until war criminals are held accountable. What does my right hon. Friend agree?
Minister reply
My right hon. Friend makes important points about the need to support Ukraine's reform programme, which could fast-track its NATO membership. We should not consider any deal that would see Ukraine sacrifice land for a temporary peace, as Putin will continue until ejected by Ukrainians. To ensure reparations are made for reconstruction, we have brought legislation to freeze Russian assets until significant reparations are provided.
Question
Prigozhin’s attempted coup failed but shows that Putin is weaker than portrayed. He pardoned Prigozhin who withdrew to Belarus, and Russian troops should now withdraw from Ukraine. What assessment have the UK Government made of this threat? The SNP supports NATO Secretary General's words: 'As Russia continues its assault, it is even more important to continue our support to Ukraine.' The Wagner Group should be proscribed for crimes committed. How likely does the Secretary of State think Putin’s regime will collapse in the short term and what steps are being taken?
Minister reply
Our support for Ukraine's self-defence remains unwavering, as they have shown effective use of donated equipment and training provided by us. We made it clear that Belarus would face repercussions if involved in this conflict. The sanctions package includes transposition to Belarus. When I became Foreign Secretary, we looked at future scenarios including instability in Russia. Leadership is for the Russian people; however, whatever the outcome, we shall be prepared. We will continue working with international partners to support Ukraine until they prevail.
Alicia Kearns
Con
Rutland and Stamford
Question
Thanks the minister for his statement, noting that Putin's social contract with Russian citizens is broken due to the war. Asks about the number of British nationals in Russia and whether a register should be created. Also asks if Ukrainians have capitalised on this chaos.
Minister reply
Acknowledges the importance of the point made by the MP, stating that the UK does not force registration for British nationals in Russia due to the impossibility of obtaining an accurate figure. Advises against travel and warns about limited extraction capabilities. Emphasises the impact of fractures within the Russian system on frontline troops.
Chris Bryant
Lab
Rhondda and Ogmore
Question
Asks why British businesses are still present in Russia, despite Putin's use of Wagner Group mercenaries. Also asks if UK should seize Russian state assets for Ukraine's reconstruction.
Minister reply
Responds that seizing assets would violate international law. Explains that frozen assets will remain until reparations are made by individuals or entities involved in the conflict.
Question
Questions whether Putin's weakness due to public dissent indicates he may stoop low to stay in power.
Minister reply
Agrees that Putin’s invasion has backfired, citing NATO expansion and Ukraine's stronger resolve. Emphasises the weakening of Putin’s authority through Wagner Group.
Valerie Vaz
Lab
Walsall and Bloxwich
Question
Asks if Prime Minister will support the declaration recognising Wagner Group as a criminal and terrorist organisation at Vilnius summit.
Minister reply
Confirms UK sanctions on Wagner Group, stating they will continue to work with international partners to undermine its activities.
Question
Asks if the current situation makes a Ukrainian victory more or less likely.
Minister reply
Highlights that fractures within Russian military and Wagner Group could weaken their effectiveness, while noting the unpredictability of war. Emphasises Ukraine’s stronger morale.
Question
Asks how the Foreign Secretary plans to degrade Wagner Group's capabilities globally.
Minister reply
Acknowledges the importance of evidence collection and sanctions against Wagner Group, promising further consideration on practical implications for wider-scale degradation efforts.
Question
Asks about concern over reports that Russian forces may have placed mines at nuclear power plants as part of a scorched earth policy.
Minister reply
Acknowledges concerns and discusses meetings with International Atomic Energy Agency to assess potential risks and mitigation strategies.
Dan Jarvis
Lab
Barnsley North
Question
Back in May, it was widely reported that the UK Government were actively considering proscribing the Wagner Group as a terrorist organisation. Accepting that it is early days, may I ask the Foreign Secretary whether an assessment has yet been made of what the ramifications would be for Putin if he sought to amalgamate the Wagner Group into the Russian conventional armed forces?
Minister reply
We keep decisions about proscription of organisations open across Government Departments. When volunteers were contracted to the Russian Ministry of Defence, we looked at implications for sanctions but cannot discuss specifics.
Bernard Jenkin
Con
Harwich and North Essex
Question
Is it not a truism that the more help we can deliver to the Ukrainians now, and the quicker we can do it, the more likely it is that we will end the war quickly with a favourable outcome? What are we doing to press home the advantage by galvanising ourselves and our allies to give more support to the Ukrainian armed forces?
Minister reply
We continue to focus on supporting Ukraine financially and militarily so they can press home their counter-offensive.
Tan Dhesi
Lab
Slough
Question
Media reports over the weekend suggested that President Putin decided to flee Moscow and relocate to St Petersburg when he learned of Prigozhin’s and Wagner’s advance towards Moscow. What assessment has the Foreign Secretary made of those reports and their veracity?
Minister reply
We look at a wide range of open-source reporting but it is difficult to get a clear picture of events on the ground, so we plan around the most credible scenarios.
Question
Without wishing to speculate on whether that brigade-sized force will be a greater threat to Lukashenko or to Putin in the short to medium term, may I ask the Foreign Secretary to assure us that that base will be very closely monitored, given its proximity not only to Russian nuclear weapons but to NATO borders?
Minister reply
We have made it clear to Belarusian Government they should not facilitate attacks into Ukraine and we will keep a close eye on reporting about Wagner fighters in Belarus.
Question
What support are this Government giving in situ to those civilian victims of Russia’s illegal war?
Minister reply
The UK supports rebuilding Ukraine, particularly energy infrastructure and the recovery conference hosted last week saw commitment of $60 billion for reconstruction.
Question
Does my right hon. Friend agree that it will become even more important to monitor and protect Russia’s future leaders and influencers, such as Free Russia’s Vladimir Kara-Murza, already twice poisoned and now sentenced to 25 years in prison for promoting democratic values? Will he look to extend the sanctions on his tormentors?
Minister reply
We continue to call for Vladimir Kara-Murza's immediate release and have sanctioned several individuals involved with his detention.
Mark Hendrick
Lab Co-op
Preston
Question
Have the Foreign Secretary and his Department managed to ascertain the rationale behind Prigozhin’s move towards Moscow? Was it because Russian forces were shelling the Wagner Group in Ukraine, was he not being paid enough or not being paid at all, or was it because he was critical of Shoigu and Gerasimov?
Minister reply
It is hard to know with certainty what triggered Prigozhin's advance on Moscow. However, his comments highlight Putin’s war as driven by his ego rather than a threat to Russia.
Question
The Wagner Group has nefarious interests in African countries such as Mali, Niger and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Can I urge the Foreign Secretary to consult our representatives there to see what is happening with the Wagner Group on the ground?
Minister reply
I will talk with our representatives in Africa to look at the impact of the Wagner Group activities and ensure those countries are safe without mercenary forces.
Richard Foord
Lib Dem
Honiton and Sidmouth
Question
The UK MOD estimates about 60,000 Russians have been killed in Ukraine. What can the Secretary of State’s Department do to improve awareness in Russia of the toll this is taking on conscripts, soldiers and their families?
Minister reply
Putin has lied to Russians about war implications but Russian soldiers are being used as cannon fodder by a leader who does not care for them or their families.
Question
My right hon. Friend makes an important point. It is not possible for us to predict and I do not intend to speculate, but he is absolutely right that the events over this weekend have made things potentially more dangerous and more predictable in all the places where Wagner is active, which is why we must and will keep a very close eye on Wagner Group activities not just in Ukraine but around the world. We will seek to show leaders who are relying on Wagner that their reliance on that mercenary group is wholly ill placed.
Minister reply
My right hon. Friend makes an important point. It is not possible for us to predict and I do not intend to speculate, but he is absolutely right that the events over this weekend have made things potentially more dangerous and more predictable in all the places where Wagner is active, which is why we must and will keep a very close eye on Wagner Group activities not just in Ukraine but around the world. We will seek to show leaders who are relying on Wagner that their reliance on that mercenary group is wholly ill placed.
Derek Twigg
Lab
Widnes and Halewood
Question
We have heard various scenarios and views about what went on and the consequences of this weekend, but is the Secretary of State concerned that we are having trouble in getting decent intelligence of what is going on in the Russian leadership and the support group and powerbrokers around Putin?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman will understand that it is a long-standing convention in the House that we do not discuss intelligence matters at the Dispatch Box.
Question
What is the Foreign Secretary’s estimate of the number of Wagner troops deployed in the Ukrainian theatre, and what is his estimate of the proportion of those who will agree to come under Russian military command on 1 July?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend asks an important question. The figures are of course now massively less predictable than they were just 72 hours ago. We will keep a close eye on which troops might transfer to the Russian Ministry of Defence and which troops might desire to remain independent, and Russia’s reaction to them. This is a continually evolving situation.
Dave Doogan
SNP
Angus and Perthshire Glens
Question
The events this weekend shine a spotlight on the weakness of the Putin regime in Russia, although we knew the weakness was there anyway. Does the Foreign Secretary agree that the international community must maintain the utmost vigilance on how this dynamic between Prigozhin and Putin unwinds?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman makes an incredibly important point. Prigozhin and the Wagner Group have been responsible for truly appalling acts of violence, not just in Ukraine but in other parts of the world.
Question
Can my right hon. Friend assure the House that military support for Ukraine will continue? On a practical point, will the delivery of military equipment, as requested and agreed to here—in particular, vital air defence missiles—continue?
Minister reply
I can assure my hon. Friend that throughout, including during the high-profile events of this weekend in the UK—I confirmed this in my phone call with G7 Foreign Ministers and our friends around the world—we remain relentlessly focused on proving Ukrainians with what they need, where they need it and when they need it, to give them the best chance of a successful counter-offensive this year.
Question
Given all that the Foreign Secretary has said about the danger that the Wagner Group presents worldwide, can he comment further on where the UK stands on further sanctions against it?
Minister reply
The UK has sanctioned the Wagner Group in its entirety and members within it. Obviously it would be inappropriate for me to comment on other countries’ sanctions decisions, although I make the point that while we regularly do a compare and contrast between Governments’ sanctions, different domestic legislation means that the nature of our sanctions does not always match exactly.
Question
The UK Government’s position is clear: those people who have funded, facilitated and supported the brutal invasion of Ukraine must be the people who bear the brunt of its rebuilding. A huge number of companies with a combined net value in excess of $5 trillion from almost 60 countries were represented at the Ukraine recovery conference last week.
Minister reply
The UK Government’s position is clear: those people who have funded, facilitated and supported the brutal invasion of Ukraine must be the people who bear the brunt of its rebuilding.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
Will he outline the steps taken to send a message to Putin that while his alliances are on a shaky footing, the alliance of those in support of Ukraine has never been more solid and strong? Does he believe that now is the time to increase arms and aid support to Ukraine?
Minister reply
We often wait for the hon. Gentleman’s contribution because he is always thoughtful and has an unerring ability to hit the nail on the head when it comes to the main thrust of our debates. He is absolutely right in his assessment that Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine believing that Ukraine was vulnerable and fragile and that the west was vulnerable and fragile—that somehow we were fickle and lacked resolve.
Shadow Comment
David Lammy
Shadow Comment
Thanking the Foreign Secretary for briefings on Privy Council terms, the Opposition is reassured by Government's unity in support of Ukraine against Putin’s invasion. David Lammy asks whether Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary spoke to Ukrainian counterparts today or over the weekend to reiterate UK’s long-term support. The shadow highlights that Prigozhin’s rebellion exposed Putin’s false war narrative and raised questions about Wagner Group’s future, including potential new threats to Ukraine from Belarus if it disintegrates. He commends the Foreign Secretary for hosting the Ukraine recovery conference and asks when Russia's state assets will be seized as per our Opposition day debate tomorrow.
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