The junior commander finally discusses his contribution to Putin’s challenge. He said that neither he nor his fellow fighters knew what was happening during the failed military coup in June.

What we know about the Russian Mutiny

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner Group’s leader, launched an uprising in less than 24 hours by dispatching men to Rostov in the south and then on to Moscow.

Rarely do Wagner warriors speak to the media, but BBC Russian spoke to a young commander who was caught up in the fighting.

According to the man, identified by the BBC as Gleb, the communication informed Wagner members that they would be “forming a column” and undergoing a “full deployment,” however he claims troops were uncertain of their destination.

He claims that as they crossed the Russian border into Rostov, they faced no opposition. I didn’t spot any border guards, he declared. However, the highway patrol greeted us as we passed.

Wagner-affiliated telegram channels, meanwhile, report that when the fighters came, the border police at the Bugayevka crossing put their weapons down.

Before taking the military airport, Gleb said his gang had been instructed to surround all of the law enforcing agency facilities in Rostov-on-Don.

The building seemed to be entirely closed and deserted when they got closer. To look for any indications of life, they launched a drone overhead.

After 30 minutes, a door finally opened, and two people emerged onto the street.

Guys, let’s strike a deal, they said, according to Gleb. “I questioned, ‘What’s there to negotiate about? This is where we live.”

They just decided to respect one other’s privacy. They occasionally came outside to smoke.

A similar circumstance involving many government-owned buildings located throughout the city has been reported by Rostov media. Drones would be flown over them by the Wagner fighters before they were surrounded. No one was permitted to leave, although delivery men with food were allowed entry.

Missing Justification

Prigozhin was allegedly meeting with senior military officers at the Southern Military District headquarters of the Russian army as fighters advanced. There, he requested that Russia provide Sergei Shoigu, the defense minister, and Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the general staff.

As the conversations continued, according to Gleb, a second column of Wagner warriors was moving across Russia. The ensemble was moving under the direction of Wagner leader Dmitry Utkin, who is rarely seen.

But according to Gleb, the combatants weren’t sure what Prigozihn planned to do. He claims that instead, they received the most recent information from their superiors via Telegram.

As the day wore on, images of the events in Rostov were broadcast all over the world. People were shocked to witness locals, including local journalists, interacting with some of the traditionally secretive Wagner warriors invading their city while appearing to smile and laugh.

As the conversations continued, according to Gleb, a second column of Wagner warriors was moving across Russia. The ensemble was moving under the direction of Wagner leader Dmitry Utkin, who is rarely seen.

But according to Gleb, the combatants weren’t sure what Prigozihn planned to do. He claims that instead, they received the most recent information from their superiors via Telegram.

As the day wore on, images of the events in Rostov were broadcast all over the world. People were shocked to witness locals, including local journalists, interacting with some of the traditionally secretive Wagner warriors invading their city while appearing to smile and laugh.

Gleb claims, “It was the ex-cons,” alluding to the several serving inmates or convicted felons drafted into Wagner the previous year. Nobody warned them not to go, and no one is concerned about them.

The regulations are considerably better known by experienced fighters like Gleb who were employed before the Ukraine War.

Gleb’s Assertions 

He claims that the regulations are more stringent for Wagner’s more seasoned members. According to reports from the BBC, some ex-fighters claimed they would be assassinated if they spoke out.

Gleb claimed they got a message telling them to get back to their base on the evening of June 24. They discovered Prigozhin had escaped to Belarus while on their way back and was facing criminal charges, which were later dismissed.

They also learned that Wagner warriors who participated in the rebellion would not be punished. Although Gleb claims they have been instructed to remain in their barracks, their future is still uncertain at this time.

Pro-Russian separatist fighters who name themselves the “Luhansk People’s Republic” and are harbouring the group are now awaiting word on their destiny, specifically what is going to occur to the guns and ammo.

When questioned about staying with Wagner rather than leaving to guarantee his future, Gleb responded simply that his contract isn’t over yet.