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Citing a deal announced by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Associated Press reported in the early hours of Sunday, 25 June, that Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is slated to go to neighboring Belarus and charges of mounting an armed rebellion will be dropped.
The Wagner mercenary group on Saturday agreed to halt the movement of its troops towards Moscow and return to its bases in southern Russia, its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Telegram, as per BBC.
The agreement came after talks between Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko and Prigozhin, the publication reported.
"Now the moment has come when blood could be spilled. Understanding responsibility [for the chance] that Russian blood will be spilled on one side, we are turning our columns around and going back to field camps as planned."Yevgeny Prigozhin, as per BBC
What Had Happened Earlier?
Earlier, the governor of Russia's Lipetsk province said that Wagner, which had launched an "armed rebellion" against Russia's military leadership, has entered the region, as per AP.
The rebel forces, up until then, were in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. The Lipetsk region is about 360 km south of Moscow and is closer to the Russian capital than Rostov.
Amid a standoff between the troops, Russia's spy chief had said that it is "clear that an attempt to spark civil war has failed," reported TASS news agency.
Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), had said in a Telegram post, "At the moment, it is clear that the attempt to rock society, awaken the darkest aspirations in it, kindle the fire of a fratricidal civil war, has failed."
What Did Putin Say About Wagner Group's Actions?
Earlier on Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an address to the nation, said that Wagner group's actions are "a stab in the back of our troops and the people of Russia."
"This is a criminal, adventuristic campaign. It is equivalent to armed mutiny. Russia will defend itself. We are fighting for the life and security of our citizens and out territorial integrity," Putin said in the address, adding that "decisive action" would be taken against the rebel group.
"Everything has to be done to put this danger to rest. It is an attempt to subvert us from inside. This is treason in the face of those who are fighting on the front," the Russian President said.
Meanwhile, the governor of Kursk, a Russian region that borders Ukraine, had urged Prigozhin to end the rebellion.
"The Kursk region closely cooperated with the PMC 'Wagner' in the training of fighters of voluntary people's squads of our region, and I myself took this training," Roman Starovoyt said in a Telegram post, as per CNN.
He added that while Wagner should not be forgotten, "the ambitions of the leader should not cross out the past merits of ordinary fighters."
He urged Prigozhin "to abandon his plans, lay down his arms and prevent the development of an internal conflict in the country."
What Led to the 'Rebellion'?
On Saturday, Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner, a mercenary group that had spearheaded many of Russia's battles in Ukraine, launched a rebellion against Russia's military leadership after a bitter feud lasting months.
Sixty-two-year-old Prigozhin accused the Russian military of launching a deadly strike on his troops, and pledged to "go all the way" to overthrow the military leadership in Moscow.
"This is not a military coup, but a march of justice," he said in a video message.
Prigozhin said on Saturday that his forces have taken control of the military facilities and airfield in Rostov-on-Don, which is close to the Ukraine border, and warned that if Russia's defence minister and top military officials did not meet with him in the city, his troops would move towards Moscow.
After the Russian President's address, he said the Wagner group would not surrender and that Putin was "deeply mistaken."
However, the authorities in Moscow and surrounding areas reportedly declared a "counterterrorism" emergency after Prigozhin's move. Russia's security service, FSB, has, meanwhile, opened a criminal investigation against the Wagner chief, as per Al Jazeera.
US Secretary Discusses Russia's Situation With G7, EU
Meanwhile, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he discussed the "ongoing situation in Russia" with the G7 Foreign Ministers and the EU over a phone call. He added that the US would "stay in close coordination with Allies and partners."
As per CNN, the foreign ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom, and the EU's top diplomat, were part of the call.
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