Russian diplomat flies to Beijing as Putin faces heat at home

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko flew to Beijing for talks with China on “international” issues, amid a major challenge by Russian mercenaries to President Vladimir Putin’s grip on power.
China’s foreign ministry said in a one-line statement on its website, Rudenko exchanged views with China’s Foreign Minister Qin Gang in a meeting in the Chinese capital on Sunday on Sino-Russian relations as well as “international and regional issues of common concern.”
It was unclear when Rudenko arrived in Beijing, or whether his visit to China, a key ally of Russia, was in response to the apparent rebellion by heavily armed mercenaries on Friday.
China has yet to publicly comment on the rebellion that Putin said threatened Russia’s very existence. Western leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden said they were closely monitoring the situation.