Russian mercenary group Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was invited to Russia for a meeting with the Russian President Vladimir Putin after the failed Wagner Mutiny of last month. Along with Prigozhin, 35 other Wagner commanders were also invited to the meeting, according to a statement by the Kremlin.
According to Kremlin, Putin gave an assessment of Russia’s action in the Ukraine war. He also listened to the Wagner commander’s explanation of the events of 24th June and suggested them scopes about their future employment. Prigozhin also asserted that Putin has Wagner’s unconditional support.
Wagner Group is a private mercenary group that fights for Russia. They have been fighting in Ukraine for Russia. But for a while there have been feuds between the Wagner group and Russian High Military command. Wagner group was bashing the Russian Ministry of defence of social media. Prigozhin was particularly fed up with Russian Defence Minister and the Army General. Prigozhin accused them of failing to supply ammunition to Wagner group and along with it, he also criticised the poor decisions made by The Russian Military Command regarding the Ukraine war which killed many of Prigozhin’s soldiers.
Prigozhin started his march towards Moscow after seizing another Russian city. He started this march to confront the Russian high officials from the Ministry of Defence and bring them to Justice, mainly the Defence Minister and Army General who were the most senior officials looking over the war in Ukraine. Moscow was put in a state of emergency following this march and senior officials from the government were evacuated from the city. Putin called this move a stab in the back and treason. However, Putin was said to be in Kremlin and it was confirmed by the officials that he did not leave the city. But soon the Mutiny was put to an end as a deal was brokered by the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko with Prigozhin on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to the deal, Prigozhin and the Wagner group was to put an end to this revolt of theirs and in return Russia will grant them amnesty and not prosecute them for the crimes they were guilty of in Russia. Prigozhin was also supposed to move to Belarus after this failed revolt, in respect to the deal. Following this deal, Prigozhin put an end to his revolt saying that it is done to avoid bloodshed in Moscow. Afterwards, it was confirmed by the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko that Prigozhin and other Wagner troops who decided to join him are in Belarus.
After this deal it was speculated that there was a change in the Russian ministry of defence and that the minister and the army chief post were changed by Putin. However, recent developments prove that both these officials still remain in their posts.
Even though Prigozhin was not against Putin in this Mutiny but experts say that this was the biggest challenge to Putin’s power in over two decades.
