Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, has made a significant announcement, stating that he has directed his mercenaries to halt their march on Moscow in order to prevent bloodshed. Despite being just 200 kilometers (120 miles) away from the capital, Prigozhin decided on Saturday to turn the troops back to avoid any loss of life.
These comments from Prigozhin were shared in an audio message following statements made by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko, who claimed to have negotiated with the mercenary boss to stop the Wagner Group’s movement. Lukashenko’s office stated that they accepted Prigozhin’s offer to halt the advance of the Wagner Group and proposed further steps to de-escalate tensions. The proposed settlement allegedly includes security guarantees for the Wagner troops, although specific details were not provided.
Prigozhin did not disclose whether the Kremlin responded to his demand to remove Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, and there has been no immediate comment from the Kremlin on the matter.
The advancement of rebel mercenaries towards Moscow after seizing a crucial military base presented President Vladimir Putin with one of the most significant challenges to his rule. The situation is being closely monitored by Pavel Felgenhauer, a Russian defense analyst, who emphasizes the importance of observing how events unfold. Ceasefires can be fragile, and it remains uncertain how concessions were made and received between the parties involved.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remarked on the chaos in Russia resulting from the revolt by Wagner troops, stating that it exposed a complete lack of control. Zelenskyy, addressing Putin directly in both Ukrainian and Russian, warned that the longer Russian troops remained on Ukrainian soil, the greater the devastation it would bring to Russia.
The evolving crisis in Russia is generating international concern as leaders navigate the complex dynamics and potential ramifications of the situation. Stay updated on the latest developments.
