Wagner group head Yevgeny Prigozhin met President Vladimir Putin after attempting a coup in Russia - Russian government affirms

Moscow – Dmitry Peskov, press secretary for Russian President Vladimir Putin, notified that Wagner group head Yevgeny Prigozhin and his frontline commanders met President Vladimir Putin after attempting a coup in Russia last month. He said the meeting was held on June 29 in the Kremlin after the mutiny event in the capital Moscow. It seems to have added to the mystery behind last month’s rebellion.

It had come to the fore that last month, on June 24, the Wagner Group, a leading Russian military mercenary company, staged a mutiny and took control of two cities in Russia. Besides, there were claims that the Wagner Group forces had reached only 200 km from the Russian capital, Moscow. At that time, Russian President Putin warned that all those involved in the rebellion would be severely punished. Consequently, Prigozhin responded that it was not a rebellion but a ‘march for justice’.

Moreover, the news of the end of the rebellion came just a few hours after the incidents that had caused a sensation worldwide, including in Russia. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was said to mediate a deal between the Wagner Group and the Russian government. According to this, it became clear that the Wagner Group had ended the rebellion, and the Russian government had cancelled the action against the rebels. Later, Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, was claimed to have been granted shelter in Belarus.

However, a few days ago, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that Prigozhin had not reached Belarus and was in Russia. Russian media had also reported raids on Wagner Group offices and Prigozhin’s residence. Simultaneously, a report surfaced clarifying that the United States did not have any hand in this rebellion of the Wagner Group. In addition, NATO, Eastern European countries and Ukraine had also decided to increase their military deployment near the border with Belarus.

Against this background, the news of the meeting between Russian President Putin and Prigozhin has proved to be a sensation. According to information shared by Putin’s spokesman Peskov, Putin met with Prigozhin and the commanders of the Wagner Group on June 29. In this three-hour meeting, along with Prigozhin, the officials of the Wagner Group presented their stand and testified that they are staunch supporters of Putin. Peskov has avoided sharing more details.

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