MOSCOW: Wagner mercenaries began returning to their base on Sunday following an agreement reached between Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, allowing him to evade treason charges and seek exile in Belarus. The resolution averted the immediate threat of Prigozhin’s private army storming Moscow, but analysts argue that the uprising has exposed vulnerabilities in Putin’s leadership.
Despite the return of the Wagner fighters, security measures enacted under an “anti-terrorism operation” remained in place in Moscow on Sunday, and Prigozhin’s exact whereabouts remained unclear. He was last seen leaving Rostov-on-Don in an SUV, accompanied by trucks carrying armored vehicles and his followers. Reports suggest that Wagner forces had come as close as 400 kilometers to Moscow.
The mutiny was ignited by Prigozhin’s longstanding dispute with military top brass over Russia’s operation in Ukraine. His troops seized a military headquarters in Rostov before advancing towards the capital. Putin swiftly condemned the action as treason and vowed to punish the perpetrators, accusing them of pushing Russia to the brink of civil war. However, in a surprising turn of events, Putin accepted a hastily arranged agreement to resolve Moscow’s most significant security crisis in decades.
Hours after Prigozhin announced his forces’ return to base to avoid shedding “Russian blood,” the Kremlin confirmed that the exiled leader would depart for Belarus. Russia dropped the charges of “armed rebellion” against Prigozhin and declared that the Wagner mercenaries would not be prosecuted.
Deal with Wagner Chief Exposes Putin’s Grip on Power
While Ukraine celebrated the chaos, intensifying its own counteroffensive against Russian forces and ridiculing Putin’s apparent humiliation, analysts noted that the agreement exposed weaknesses in the Russian president’s grip on power. The involvement of Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko in negotiating the truce further embarrassed Moscow, as he is typically seen as Putin’s subordinate.
Details of the deal remain scarce, with Minsk stating that negotiations had continued throughout the day. When asked if Prigozhin had been given a guarantee to enter Belarus, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded, “It is the word of the president of Russia.”
The rebellion by Wagner mercenaries is not expected to significantly impact Russia’s faltering campaign in Ukraine, as the Kremlin claimed to have repelled new offensive attacks by Ukrainian forces the day after the mutiny. However, Ukraine sees the unrest as a potential opportunity for its long-awaited counteroffensive.
Wagner fighters, comprised of volunteers, former security officers, and recruited convicts, have been frequently deployed to the frontlines of Russia’s operations in Ukraine. The mercenary group also conducts missions in the Middle East and West Africa, often perceived as Russian influence operations to secure favor with African governments and access to mineral resources.
The crisis exposed the fragility of institutions and trust, both domestically and internationally, raising concerns about Putin’s position and control. The United States and its Western allies remained tight-lipped about the revolt, wary of Putin’s hold over the nuclear-armed nation. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani remarked, “The myth of the unity of Putin’s Russia is over. This internal escalation divides the Russian military alliance. It’s the inevitable outcome when you support and finance a legion of mercenaries.”
