Exclusive: Zelensky calls Putin ‘weak’ and says Russian President’s power is ‘crumbling’
CNNEditor’s Note: Erin Burnett’s full interview with Volodymyr Zelensky airs Wednesday July 5 at 7 p.m. Odesa, Ukraine CNN — Vladimir Putin’s response to the armed Wagner rebellion was “weak” and the Russian President is losing control of his own people, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN in an exclusive interview. Zelensky said Ukrainian intelligence reports showed the Kremlin was measuring support for Prigozhin, and he claimed that half of Russia supported the Wagner boss and the paramilitary group’s mutiny. I told him about all the important things related to the battlefield which we need.” Burns traveled to Kyiv before Prigozhin’s rebellion, which was not a topic of discussion, the US official told CNN. Speaking at a news conference in Kyiv Saturday, Zelensky said Prigozhin’s rebellion had “greatly affected Russian power on the battlefield” and could be beneficial to Ukraine’s counteroffensive.