Warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin says Wagner’s mercenaries have put an end to Russia’s rebellion

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Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin has said his Wagner mercenaries have abandoned their attempted mutiny against the country’s armed forces just hours before a possible assault on Moscow, signaling a possible end to the first coup in Russia in three decades. Is.

In an agreement brokered by Belarus’ leader Alexander Lukashenko, Prigozhin said his convoy of troops, weapons and tanks would stop its journey towards Moscow on Saturday evening and return to their bases after a 24-hour crisis in which the Kremlin had scrambled to turn the capital into one. Citadel to fight the rebels.

“The moment has now come when blood can be shed. Therefore, realizing full responsibility for the fact that Russian blood will be shed on one side, we are turning our convoy and going back to our basecamp as planned,” Prigozhin said in a voice memo posted on social media. Said.

He did not specify what the “plan” was.

The Kremlin did not immediately confirm that it had agreed to the withdrawal of Prigozhin’s forces, which took control of the southern city of Rostov and shot down several Russian planes. They were within 200 km from Moscow.

According to state newswire Tass, Wagner paramilitaries loyal to Prigozhin began leaving Rostov on Saturday evening. Videos posted online by state media and Wagner-affiliated social media channels showed the fighters thanking locals, who clapped and chanted in support.

The governor of a Russian province on the path of Prigozhin’s rebellion said authorities would begin rolling back security restrictions.

Lipetsk governor Igor Artamonov said the region would “begin to lift the restrictions imposed today” and reopen closed federal highways. He said that they have already started the reconstruction of the damaged roads.

“We all have stood up to defend the interests of our country with honor and dignity. Lipetsk region will not let the President and Russia down,” Artamonov posted on social media.

President Vladimir Putin had earlier vowed to crush the rebellion and accused Wagner of “treason”, which posed a “deadly threat to our state” comparable to the 1917 revolution that led to the collapse of Imperial Russia .

Putin said he had given the “necessary orders” to deal with the Wagner paramilitary group and to take “decisive steps” to withdraw Rostov from the militia.

After Prigozhin’s attempted rebellion, bitterness between the warlords and the leaders of Russia’s armed forces continued for several months, made worse by the 16-month war against Ukraine.

The conflict has failed to achieve its objectives, hampered the country’s economy, cost thousands of lives and created a dangerous patchwork of competing militias and security forces.

Prigozhin had previously stated that his Wagner Legion no longer wanted to be “subject to corruption, lies and bureaucracy”.

Lukashenko’s press service said on Saturday that the agreement was “completed” by the Belarusian leader in talks with Prigozhin after Putin “agreed on joint actions” and “additionally clarified the situation through his own channels”. Came after spending the day.

It added that Prigozhin has accepted (Lukashenko’s) request to “stop the movement of Wagner company’s armed men on Russian territory and take further steps to de-escalate the situation”.

“At the moment, there is an absolutely advantageous and acceptable way to defuse the situation on the table, with security guarantees for Wagner’s fighters,” the press service said.

Belarus said Putin thanked Lukashenko. It said, “The President of Russia supported his Belarusian colleague for his work and thanked him.”

Meanwhile Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Kiev’s forces on Saturday “launched an offensive in several directions at the same time”, apparently seizing the opportunity to retaliate against Moscow’s forces, while Russia There was a power struggle going on.

“In the direction of Orikhovo-Vasilievka, Bakhmut, Bohdanievka, Yahidne, Klishchevka, Kurdyumivka. , , Progress is being made in all directions,” said Malliyar.

He further said, “The enemy is on the defensive and is making great efforts to block our offensive actions.” “At the same time, the enemy is suffering significant losses in personnel, weapons and equipment.”

Maliar said several Russian attacks in the past, backed by heavy artillery and air power, have been repulsed.

Additional reporting by Christopher Miller in Kiev