The Wagner Group fighters who vowed to oust Russia’s military leadership on Saturday, took a U-turn and returned to their field camps from the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don under a deal brokered by Belarus which ensured Russia dropped charges against Wagner’s chief, Prigozhin, for armed mutiny.
According to the deal, Wagner Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin will move to Belarus which will bring an end to the armed mutiny led by him against the Russian military.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has offered to mediate with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s agreement. The criminal case that had begun against Prigozhin for armed mutiny would be dropped and the Wagner fighters who had taken part in his “march for justice” would not face any action, in recognition of their previous service to Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov informed on Saturday.
He also said that the criminal case will be dropped against Prigozhin for armed mutiny because the Russian president knew him personally for more than 20 years.
Reuters reported that fighters who did not take part would enter into a contract with the Defence Ministry, which has been seeking to bring all autonomous volunteer forces under its control by July 1.
Hence, Prigozhin announced that while his men were just 200 kilometers (120 miles) from Moscow, he had decided to retreat to avoid “shedding Russian blood.” His troops were ordered back to their field camps in Ukraine, where they have been fighting alongside Russian regular soldiers.
Prigozhin, however, did not say whether the Kremlin had responded to his demand.
The Krelim Spokesperson said the issue could not have been discussed during the negotiations, which were conducted by the president of Belarus, and is the “exclusive prerogative of the commander in chief.”
The deal was brokered by Belarus, and Wagner fighters pulled out of Rostov to avoid bloodshed and de-escalate the crisis.
The private military group on Saturday seized Rostov’s military headquarters. Rostov’s military HQ was the key to operating Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The heavily armed Wagner fighter took control of Rostov, while some of them began marching towards Moscow in a rebellion against Russia’s military establishment.
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