Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about his encounter with Wagnerian mercenaries, noting that legally no such organization (the Private Military Company, or PMC) exists.
Source: Putin in a comment to the Russian media Kommersant
Quote: “Well, the Wagner PMC doesn’t exist! We don’t have a private military organization law! It just doesn’t exist!
So if there is no law, then there is no PMC.
There is a group, but legally it does not exist! This is a separate issue related to the actual legalization. But this is a question that should be discussed in the State Duma, in the government. It’s not an easy question.”
Details: Putin said 35 people attended the meeting. He noted that he “assessed” the actions of the Wagnerians during the war [against Ukraine – ed.] and during the June 24 mutiny.
The Russian dictator also said he offered them “several employment options, including [the option to remain] under the direction of their direct commander with the nom de guerre Sedoi”.
According to Putin, most of the mercenaries present at the meeting nodded to his proposals. But Prigozhin replied that “the guys do not agree with this decision.”
Background:
-
On the evening of June 23, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed that the Russian regular army had launched a missile strike on the rear camps of Wagner’s mercenaries. He therefore deployed 25,000 of his mercenaries “to restore justice”.
-
On the morning of June 24, Prigozhin claimed that his forces had taken control of Rostov-on-Don’s military installations, including the air base, and were heading “towards Moscow”, and that his soldiers had shot down three helicopters. Russians. Wagner’s mercenaries also seized military installations in the Russian city of Voronezh.
-
In an emergency address on June 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia was “fighting for survival” and attempts were being made to “organize a rebellion” in the country.
-
On the afternoon of June 24, Russian media reported that the office of the President of the Russian Federation predicted that Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group fighters would likely reach the outskirts of Moscow in the next few hours, with fighting expected near the Russian capital. Ukrainian intelligence had information that Putin had urgently left Moscow for his residence in Valdai. The Wagner Group convoy was spotted 400 km from Moscow.
-
On the evening of June 24, following a conversation with self-proclaimed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Prigozhin announced that his mercenaries were turning around and returning to set up camps on the ground. Later it was reported that the criminal case against Prigozhin should be closed and he “would go to Belarus”.
-
Russian pro-war media and Telegram channels claimed that 13 to 20 people died as a result of the mutiny by Wagner Group fighters.
-
The Russian army also suffered losses of military vehicles: according to Vazhnye Istorii, these are three Mі-8 electronic warfare helicopters, one Mi-8 transport helicopter and two Ka-52 assault helicopters and Mі-35M, as well as a command post aircraft Іl-22M and two armored cars KamAZ and Tigr. Wagner PMC lost two UAZs, one KamAZ and one VPK-Ural armored car.
-
At the same time, according to the Russian service of Radio Liberty with reference to the calculations of the Dutch project Oryx, during the rebellion, mercenaries shot down one Іl-22M aircraft and six helicopters of the Russian army.
-
The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, has acknowledged the deaths of Russian pilots during the rebellion of the Wagner Group mercenaries. He met with law enforcement chiefs and thanked them for “suppressing” the Wagner Group mercenary rebellion. He also said that Wagnerists will be able to sign a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry, resign or “go to Belarus”.
-
Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner PMC, personally arrived in St. Petersburg on July 4, where the weapons seized during the searches were returned to him.
-
Earlier it was reported that Prigozhin received 10 billion rubles [approx. US$111,313 million – ed.] that security agents found during searches in Saint Petersburg after his attempted rebellion
Journalists are fighting on their own front line. Support Ukrainska Pravda or becoming our patron!