A general agreement has been reached, specific issues remain
Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting in the Kremlin with the leadership of the private military company (PMCs) Wagner. This was announced on the evening of July 10 by the press secretary of the head of state Dmitry Peskov. According to him, the meeting took place on June 29 (that is, five days after the mutiny) and lasted almost 3 hours. "The President had such a meeting. He invited 35 people to it. All squad commanders and company management. Including Prigozhin himself," Peskov clarified.
Thus, 10 days later, the authorities recognized the very fact of the event, which was first reported with reference to intelligence sources by the newspaper "Liberacion" (fr. La Libération), one of the three largest daily print publications in France. Then similar information appeared in other foreign media.
Perhaps, at some stage, the Russian authorities realized that the "information wave" raised by French journalists was moving in the wrong direction, and decided to give their own explanation of the event.
"The commanders themselves stated their version of what happened, they emphasized that they are staunch supporters and soldiers of the head of state and the Supreme commander–in-chief," the Kremlin spokesman said.
"Putin listened to the explanations of the commanders and offered them further employment options and further employment," he continued. Those invited to the Kremlin expressed their readiness "to continue fighting for the Motherland."
Other details of the meeting are unknown to Peskov. "The only thing I can say is that the president gave an assessment of the company's actions at the front during the special military operation (SVO), and also gave his assessment of the events of June 24," he said.
Recall that Putin made appeals to the people on June 24 and 26, where he classified the actions of the leadership of the Wagner group (avoiding calling it PMCs and not giving specific names) as "armed rebellion" and "betrayal". And at a meeting with the servicemen involved in the officially announced counter-terrorism operation on June 24-25, he said that the Wagner PMCs was fully provided at the expense of the state. Only from May 2022 to May 2023, 86.2 billion rubles were spent from the budget on monetary maintenance and incentive payments to a private military company.
LOCAL AUTHORITIES ASSESSED THE DAMAGE
In parallel, local officials were counting the damage caused by the mutiny.
The authorities of Rostov-on-Don estimated the damage to the city after the movement of military equipment of the Wagner PMCs on June 23-25 in the amount of 92.5 million rubles. The head of the city administration, Alexey Logvinenko, explained that the damage to the road transport industry (damage to the roadway with an area of 12 thousand square meters and 210 square meters of pavement, as well as tramway switches) amounted to 28.8 million rubles, and another 63.7 million rubles are needed to restore five units of specialized municipal equipment.
Representatives of the Ivanovo Region announced the death on June 24 of the Il-22 crew from the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS). The plane was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile fired by the rebels. The head of the region Stanislav Voskresensky ordered to provide assistance to the families of the victims. The exact number of victims is not reported, it is estimated to be at least eight officers.
The governor of the Pskov region, Mikhail Vedernikov, said that two residents of the region died while suppressing an attempted military mutiny. These are servicemen of the Pskov territorial garrison, the crew of the Ka-52 attack helicopter: Lieutenant Colonel Alexey Vorozhtsov and Lieutenant Denis Oleynikov.
Vedernikov also said that at least 14 servicemen from the region were killed on June 4 during an attack by a sabotage and reconnaissance group (DRG) from the so-called "Russian Volunteer Corps" operating on the side of the AFU. Having penetrated into the Belgorod region, the DRG captured the village of Novaya Tavolzhanka, but retreated to the Kharkiv region under artillery and aviation fire. Then at least 10 Pskov soldiers were captured by "treacherous armed formations", and "three of our servicemen have already been exchanged," the governor said.
Interesting facts on the impact of the rebellion on the financial performance of the country are given in the "Financial Market Risk Review" published on the website of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. The sale of currency to individuals on June 24 amounted to the equivalent of 7.1 billion rubles, and on other days of the month, currencies were bought for only 300 million rubles. Against this background, some Russian banks sold the most popular currencies with a significant margin. The dollar exchange rate reached 105 rubles, and the euro – up to 115.
Belarus
According to the previously reached agreements, the units of the Wagner PMCs will go to Belarus after the delivery of heavy weapons to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The department announced the beginning of the preparation of the process on June 27. A couple of days later, the chairman of the State Duma Committee on Defense, Andrei Kartapolov, clarified that with the exception of Wagner, all volunteer detachments agreed to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Otherwise, they simply will not be involved in a special operation with the termination of the relevant funding.
Meanwhile, the President of the Republic of Belarus (RB) Alexander Lukashenko at a meeting with journalists on July 6 said that by that time the issue of relocation and placement of employees of PMCs "Wagner" has not been resolved. According to the Belarusian leader, as of July 6, the fighters of the Wagner PMCs are located in their camps, "where they were after being withdrawn from the front to recover ... after Bakhmut."
The country's leadership confirms its promise to "accept a certain number of fighters in Belarus for rest and training" if the leadership of the Russian Federation and the Wagner PMCs deem it necessary. "We are not building camps. We offered them several former military camps that were used in wartime," the Belarusian leader explained. However, those to whom the offer was addressed are in no hurry to accept it, because they have a "different vision".
The head of the Wagner PMCs, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is not in the territory of the Republic of Belarus. "As for Yevgeny Prigozhin, he is in St. Petersburg. Maybe he went to Moscow," Lukashenko continued.
Developing the topic of personal security of the head of the Wagner PMCs, the Belarusian leader said: "Yesterday afternoon we talked with Yevgeny Prigozhin on the phone and just discussed the moments of further actions of the Wagner PMCs. And he conveyed the interlocutor's direct speech: "We will work for the good of Russia and we will fulfill our duty to the end."
The Belarusian president clarified that Prigozhin is at large: "What will happen to him next? Well, everything happens in life. But if you think that Putin is so malicious and vindictive that he will be "killed" tomorrow... no, this will not happen."
Interestingly, on the eve of Lukashenka's meeting with journalists, the Russian media showed footage of photo and video footage taken when employees of the competent authorities conducted searches in Prigozhin's offices and mansions.
As for the rank-and-file employees of the Wagner PMCs, they can be involved in the national defense system of the Republic of Belarus. "Whether they will be in Belarus or not, in what quantity – we will figure it out in the near future," Alexander Lukashenko assured. If the Wagner Group is located on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, a corresponding contract will be signed with it. When it is drawn up, the terms and locations of placement will be agreed. "The main condition is that if we need to use this unit for the defense of the state, it will be activated instantly, its experience will be in demand," the Belarusian leader explained. The knowledge that the fighters of the Wagner group have accumulated at the front, "we will consider and use for training."
Minsk is not worried about threats to its own security due to the possible presence of armed detachments consisting of citizens of other states on the national territory. Lukashenko explained: "There is no point in guessing on the coffee grounds. But I don't think that Wagner will rise up somewhere and turn his gun against the Belarusian authorities and the Belarusian state. Everything happens in life. But I don't see such a situation today. We need to work with people."
Vladimir Karnozov
