A group of private mercenaries from the Wagner Group has halted its progress towards Moscow and is now returning to its field camps, as charges against the group’s leader have been dropped, according to the Kremlin. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, announced in a recorded message that his troops were turning back after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko intervened and mediated between Prigozhin and Russian President Vladimir Putin. As part of this agreement, a treason case against Prigozhin will be dropped and he will leave the country for Belarus. Reports suggest that the Wagner forces may be offered security guarantees and a role within the Russian military.
Earlier, Putin accused Prigozhin of treason as his mercenaries occupied Russia’s southern military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don. In a televised address, Putin declared that Russia would defend itself from “internal treachery” amidst the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Prigozhin had accused the Russian defense ministry of carrying out a rocket attack that resulted in the deaths of several of his men. However, the peace deal brokered by Lukashenko changed the situation, bringing about the retreat of the Wagner Group.
In a video released before the peace deal, Prigozhin accused the Russian elite of exploiting Ukraine’s Donbas region and lying about the reasons for the war. The Kremlin responded by ordering the Federal Security Service to open a criminal case against Prigozhin for inciting an armed mutiny. Despite this, Prigozhin claimed that his troops had seized control of military installations in Rostov-on-Don and were moving north towards Moscow with little resistance.
The situation has garnered international attention, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighting the chaos in a Twitter post. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also expressed concern and pledged to stay in close coordination with allies and partners.
To address the threat, Putin signed a law imposing 30-day jail sentences for violating martial law. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine could potentially bring further problems within Russia itself.
(Source: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2023/06/24/Wagner-Group-mercenaries-halt-advance-on-Moscow-go-back-to-camps/9681677182786/)
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