Moscow, Jul. 10, (dpa/GNA) - The Kremlin has confirmed reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin met the head of the Wagner mercenary force, Yevgeny Prigozhin, after his uprising against the military leadership in June.
“In fact, the president had such a meeting, he invited 35 people to it – all commanders of units and the leadership of the company, including Prigozhin himself,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday, according to the Interfax news agency.
Putin had previously called the Wagner insurgents traitors.
Russian media had earlier reported such a meeting between Putin and Prigozhin.
For days, international experts had been speculating about the future of Prigozhin and his Wagner troops, which are also important for the Kremlin in Africa and the Middle East.
According to Peskov, the discussion lasted three hours and took place on June 29 – several days after Prigozhin’s failed revolt against the military leadership.
During the conversation, Putin gave his assessment of Wagner’s activities on the battlefield in Ukraine as well as during the uprising on June 34. However, Putin had also listened to the Wagner officers’ version of the uprising.
After accusing Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu of attacking military camps of his private army, Prigozhin had his units occupy the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don on June 24, and at the same time set a military column in motion towards Moscow.
During their advance on the Russian capital, Wagner’s troops shot down several helicopters and an aircraft, with several crew members dying as a result.
In the evening, Prigozhin gave the order to withdraw after negotiations with the Kremlin, in which Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko acted as mediator.
Although Putin had spoken of treason during the uprising, the Kremlin later confirmed a compromise, which, however, had Prigozhin’s departure for Belarus as a condition.
The Wagner mercenaries were then to decide whether they would also leave or continue to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine after signing new contracts with the Defence Ministry. Putin also assured the Wagner troops of immunity from prosecution.
GNA