The Russian domestic intelligence agency, known as the Federal Security Service (F.S.B.), has announced that it will drop the criminal charges of “armed mutiny” against Yevgeny V. Prigozhin and his Wagner force. This comes as the Russian Defense Ministry declares that the mercenary group’s fighters are preparing to hand over military equipment to the army. The amnesty for Wagner fighters involved in the rebellion was part of a deal brokered between Prigozhin and President Vladimir V. Putin to bring an end to the unrest.
The F.S.B. stated that the participants in the mutiny had ceased their criminal actions on June 24, which led to the decision to terminate the criminal case against them. Meanwhile, the Defense Ministry revealed that the Wagner troops are getting ready to hand over their “heavy hardware” to the Russian army, implying military equipment. However, there are no specific details provided regarding the amount of equipment that will be relinquished or the number of Wagner fighters who will accept being placed under the command of the Russian Army.
Prigozhin, who has not been seen in public since Saturday, mentioned in an audio message that only a small fraction of his forces had agreed to the new command structure before the rebellion. He also claimed that he and his fighters had planned to surrender their heavy equipment but changed their minds due to an alleged Russian Army attack on a Wagner base. However, he has not provided any evidence to support this claim.
The Wagner group possesses various equipment, including tanks, multiple rocket launcher systems, and aircraft. It is possible that the group might retain some of their equipment and relocate it to Africa, where they operate as a private militia and Russian proxy force in multiple countries. According to a deal facilitated by Belarus President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko over the weekend, Prigozhin and Wagner would be allowed to continue their activities in Africa, despite numerous allegations of human rights abuses against the group.
There is uncertainty about the fate of Wagner recruitment centers within Russia. Reports suggest that at least one center in Siberia is still operational, but the Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, could not provide further details. Prigozhin was seen leaving Rostov-on-Don in a video on Saturday night, surrounded by his supporters. As part of the weekend agreement, he was scheduled to go to Belarus. However, it remains unclear whether some Wagner forces will relocate to Belarus.
Overall, the dropping of criminal charges against Prigozhin and the impending handover of military equipment by Wagner fighters mark significant developments in the aftermath of the rebellion. The fate of Wagner’s forces and equipment, as well as their future operations in Africa and recruitment centers in Russia, continue to raise questions.
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