In fresh twist, Russia says Wagner leader met Putin after failed rebellion

July 10

17:06 2023

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Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of the Wagner Group, a mercenary group, five days after a rebellious stint, the presidency said.

On Monday, Dmitry Peskov, presidential spokesperson, said Prigozhin was among 35 Wagner commanders invited to the three-hour meeting in Moscow.

“The only thing we can say is that the president gave his assessment of the company’s (Wagner’s) actions at the front during the special military operation (in Ukraine) and also gave his assessment of the events of 24 June (the day of the mutiny),” Peskov said.

“He also gave an assessment of the 24 June events. Putin listened to the commanders’ explanations and suggested variants of their future employment and their future use in combat.”

According to Peskov, Prigozhin told Putin that the Wagner group unconditionally supported him and that they are “ready to continue fighting for the motherland”.

The confirmation of a face-to-face meeting with Putin, who has branded Prigozhin a backstabbing traitor, adds a new twist to the uncertainty surrounding the whereabouts of the mercenary chief who has been “missing” since the uprising.

The Wagner rebellion was arguably the greatest threat to Putin’s rule in Russia since he assumed power in 1999, leading the Moscow leader to vow that orchestrators of the mutiny will face justice.

Last Thursday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, said Prigozhin was not in his country.

Lukashenko’s claims contradicted his previous admission of the Wagner chief’s arrival in his country weeks ago, after the aborted rebellion.

The Belarusian president had brokered a deal that would see Prigozhin move to Belarus in what seemed like an exile, and the Russian federation dropped charges that had been levelled against him.

The Wagner group had already seized control of the southern city of Rostov-on-Don and a military headquarters building and were marching to Moscow before Lukashenko’s intervention.