ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said those choosing the “path of evil” destroy themselves, commenting on recent clashes between Russia and the Wagner paramilitary group.

“Anyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself. Sends columns of soldiers to destroy the lives of another country - and cannot stop them from fleeing and betraying when life resists,” Zelenskyy said in a statement on Telegram.

Zelenskyy claimed that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin “despised people” and threw hundreds of thousands into the war in Ukraine, only to “eventually barricade himself in the Moscow region from those whom he himself armed.”

Zelenskyy further claimed Russia used “propaganda” to “mask its weakness and the stupidity of its government,” but that “no lie can hide it” now due to the extensive chaos prevailing.

“Russia's weakness is obvious. Full-scale weakness. And the longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on our land, the more chaos, pain and problems it will have for itself later. This is also obvious,” Zelenskyy added.

Putin accused Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin of "treason" after fighters in Russian-controlled Ukraine crossed into the Russian city of Rostov early Saturday.

Tensions between Moscow and the paramilitary group rose after Prigozhin accused Russian forces of attacking his mercenaries.

Russia denied those claims late Friday and issued arrest orders for Prigozhin.

Prigozhin has, in recent months, repeatedly accused Russia of not supplying sufficient arms to the paramilitary group which has been fighting alongside the Russian army in Ukraine.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​