Russia disbands Wagner group after coup against Vladimir Putin: News | World news
As Russian President Vladimir Putin survives the biggest test of his leadership in 23 years, the release of the Wagner group may be in progress, the BBC reported. Russia’s defense ministry said the group would give up its supply of weapons and equipment, and that Vladimir Putin had invited its fighters to join the Russian army instead.
The mercenaries also have the option to go to neighboring Belarus, which has been involved in the conflict between the two groups since Wagner’s rebellion. The elite group took control of key military sites in Rostov-on-Don during a military incident that saw at least 13 pilots killed, it was reported.
Wagner group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and his fighters decided to defect before arriving in Moscow and entered into an agreement that saw the charges against him dropped when he arrived in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. The Kremlin said it had no information on his whereabouts.
In an 11-minute audio statement, Yevgeny Prigozhin said the trip was in retaliation for a Russian rocket attack that killed 30 of his fighters. “We started our journey because of an injustice,” Prigozhin said, adding, “The townspeople met us with Russian flags and Wagner symbols, and they were happy when we arrived.” and we passed on.”
Vladimir Putin appeared to set the stage for allegations of financial misconduct against Prigozhin’s organization.
“I hope that while doing so they did not steal anything or not at all,” Putin said, adding that the authorities will look closely at the Concord agreement.
