Russia closes investigation into Wagner mercenary company mutiny
Wagnerites on the streets of Rostov-on-Don (Photo:REUTERS/Stringer)
Russia has closed a criminal case investigating the Wagner PMC mutiny, Russian propaganda agency TASS reported on June 27.
During the investigation, it was established that “its participants had ceased actions aimed at committing a mutiny,” TASS claimed.
The Wagner mutiny: what we know
Prigozhin announced the beginning of an armed conflict with the Russian Defense Ministry on the evening of June 23, claiming that he wanted to “restore justice” in Russia.
He said that the Russian army struck the mercenaries’ “rear camp.” However, the conflict between Prigozhin and Shoigu had started months earlier.
For the past few months, the Wagner leader has been persistently demanding the resignation of the Russian defense minister, accusing him of poor management of the Russian armed forces and of not supplying enough ammunition to Wagner forces.
The next day, Wagner forces seized control over the main military facilities in the cities of Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh. They also shot down seven Russian Air Force aircraft.
Prigozhin then demanded meetings with Russia’s top military leadership and threatened to “advance towards Moscow” in a video address shot in Rostov-on-Don.
Putin, in turn, posted a video address saying that the Russian Armed Forces had ordered to eliminate those who led the “rebellion”.
The Wagnerites’ convoys nevertheless moved towards Moscow in a “march for justice,” as Prigozhin called it.
The FSB charged Prigozhin with “inciting insurrection,” while the security forces were preparing to defend Moscow. Putin is believed to have fled the capital to his residence in Valdai, northwest of Moscow.
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko held talks with Prigozhin as his mercenaries closed in on Moscow, Lukashenko’s press office stated, culminating in a deal where Prigozhin agreed to halt his forces’ advance on the Russian capital – in exchange for dropping charges and changes at the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Soon after, Prigozhin ordered Wagner mercenaries to turn back from Moscow and return to their combat positions.
The Kremlin then announced that the criminal case against Prigozhin would be closed, and he himself would “go to Belarus.”
According to independent Belarusian media monitor Hajun, a plane belonging to Prigozhin was spotted landing in Belarus on July27.
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