The destiny of the Wagner mercenary group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was unsure after Belarus claimed Thursday he had returned to Russia.
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that the mercenary chief, who led a short-lived mutiny, in opposition to the Kremlin is in Russia and his Wagner troops are of their subject camps.
Lukashenko’s assertion couldn’t be independently verified, and the Kremlin refused to touch upon Prigozhin’s whereabouts. But Russian media have reported he was lately seen at his places of work in St. Petersburg.
It was not clear if Prigozhin’s presence in Russia would violate the deal, which allowed the Wagner chief to maneuver to Belarus in alternate for ending the revolt and a promise of amnesty for him and his troops. But the reviews signaled that the deal could have allowed him to finalize his affairs in Russia.
If that is true, it might counsel the menace posed by Prigozhin has not but been totally defused and that the Kremlin is treading rigorously with him till it could determine what to do with troops who should be loyal to him. Putin has stated that Wagner troops can be part of the Russian navy, retire from service or transfer to Belarus.
But a lot in regards to the settlement, which was brokered by Lukashenko, stays murky.
Last week, Lukashenko stated the mercenary chief was in Belarus, however Thursday he instructed worldwide reporters that Prigozhin was in St. Petersburg and will additionally journey to Moscow if he so needs, whereas Wagner’s troops had been of their camps.
He didn’t specify the situation of the camps, however Prigozhin’s mercenaries fought alongside Russian forces in japanese Ukraine earlier than their revolt and still have bases on Russian territory.
He added that Prigozhin has been given again the money and weapons that had been confiscated by Russian authorities.
Asked the place Prigozhin is, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to remark – even going as far as to say Russian authorities weren’t in a position to monitor his actions – however reaffirmed that the deal that ended the mutiny envisaged his transfer to Belarus.
Lukashenko stated his authorities provided Wagner, a personal navy contractor that has despatched troops around the globe to combat for Russia’s pursuits, using Belarusian navy camps however the firm had not made a ultimate choice.
The Kremlin has performed down the truth that Prigozhin escaped punishment for his mutiny, saying that the cope with the Wagner chief was essential to keep away from huge bloodshed.
The Belarusian chief shrugged off recommendations that Putin may order Prigozhin killed, saying: “If you think that Putin is so vicious and vindictive to finish him off, no, it’s not going to happen.”
Source: www.dailysabah.com
