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July 10 (UPI) — According to the Kremlin, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a three-hour meeting with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the mercenary Wagner Group, in Moscow on June 29, just five days after a failed mutiny.
This information was reported by the Russian state-run TASS News Agency.
The mutiny lasted for only 24 hours and was resolved through a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Prior to the truce, Putin publicly accused Prigozhin of treason when Wagner’s troops captured a city during their march towards Moscow.
Prigozhin and his followers were offered residence in Belarus as part of Lukashenko’s deal, although their current whereabouts are unknown.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that during the meeting in late June, Putin provided Prigozhin and his commanders with an “assessment” of the Ukraine war effort as well as the mutiny.
“Putin listened to the commanders’ explanations and suggested potential future employment and utilization in combat,” said Peskov.
Peskov also mentioned that Prigozhin expressed unwavering loyalty to Putin.
The Wagner commander had been at odds with senior members of Russia’s defense ministry, including Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Prigozhin referred to the mutiny as a “march of justice,” accusing Russian military commanders of inadequately supporting his troops and launching rocket attacks that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of his men.
“The president [Putin] provided his assessment of the company’s actions on the frontline during the special military operation and the events on June 24,” stated Peskov, as reported by Tass News Agency.
“Putin listened to explanations from the commanders and offered them alternative options for employment and continued combat. The commanders themselves shared their version of the events on June 24, emphasized their unwavering support for the head of state and the supreme commander-in-chief, and expressed their readiness to continue fighting for the Fatherland.”
Prigozhin’s current whereabouts remain unclear. Lukashenko initially claimed that the commander had arrived in Belarus, but later stated that he was actually in St. Petersburg.
