The head of the mercenaries Yevgeny Prigozhin pledged allegiance to the Russian government in a Kremlin meeting with President Vladimir Putin five days after the commander led a short-lived rebellion, a senior government spokesman said on Monday, the latest twist in a puzzling episode that has raised questions about the power and influence wielded by both men.
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The three-hour meeting took place on June 29 and was also attended by managers from Prigozhin’s military contractor Wagner Group, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Putin made an assessment of Wagner’s performance on the battlefield in Ukraine – where mercenaries have fought alongside Russian troops – and of the revolt itself.
“The commanders themselves presented their version of what happened. They stressed that they are staunch supporters and soldiers of the head of state and the commander-in-chief, and also said that they are ready to continue fighting for their homeland,” Peskov said.
The confirmation that Putin met face to face with Prigozhin, who led troops in a march on Moscow last month to demand a change in the military leadership, was extraordinary. Although the Russian leader branded Prigozhin a traitor as the revolt unfolded and promised harsh punishment, the criminal case against the mercenary chief for rebellion was later dropped.
Prigozhin has not commented on the Kremlin meeting, and his ultimate fate remains unclear, especially as Monday’s announcement shows much is being negotiated behind closed doors. He could still be prosecuted for financial crimes or other charges.
Monday’s announcement came as the Russian Defense Ministry released a video featuring military chief General Valery Gerasimov, who was one of the targets of Prigozhin’s rebellion. It was the first time Gerasimov had been seen since the revolt.
The twin updates appeared to be another attempt by the Kremlin to show it is in control after a turbulent period, and to reflect Putin’s delicate balance between condemning the biggest threat to his 23-year rule and the man behind it, and while At the same time not to alienate a popular figure whose troops achieved the biggest battlefield victory for Russia in the last year of war.
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Abbas Gallyamov, Putin’s former speechwriter, told the Associated Press that Putin recognizes Prigozhin’s patriotism and needs his forces at the front, while Prigozhin needs Putin to guarantee his freedom from persecution. The two negotiate as allies, and Prigozhin gets off the hook, Gallyamov said.
Prigozhin “has emerged victorious from this rebellion,” Gallyamov declared in a Zoom interview from Tel Aviv. “He has proven to be the master of the situation.”
Adding to the unusual nature of the meeting was the fact that, until very recently, Putin had denied any link between the state and Prigozhin’s forces. Mercenaries are illegal in Russia, but Wagner’s troops have fought for Russian interests around the world and played a vital role in the capture of Bakhmut in the longest and bloodiest battle of the war. Putin has confirmed that Prigozhin’s companies operated on government contracts.
Throughout the war, Prigozhin has criticized decisions made by Russia’s top military commanders, leading to tensions with the Kremlin that culminated in the June 24 rebellion.
The rebellion severely weakened Putin’s authority, although Prigozhin claimed that the uprising was not directed against the president, but against Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Gerasimov. Prigozhin called off his mutiny after an agreement was reached for him to go to Belarus.
Mark Galeotti, author who runs the consultancy Mayak Intelligencesaid the delicate dance with Prigozhin is “another compromise on Putin’s part and reflects his unwillingness to make harsh and ruthless personnel decisions.”
“He is ready to see Ukrainians bombed by the dozens, but not to face any of the figures in his own circle,” Galeotti wrote in The Spectator.
Tatiana Stanovaya, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, predicted that some Russian observers would be stunned by the turn of events.
“From the point of view of the Russian elite, it’s ridiculous,” he told the AP. “It’s so unbelievable and so shocking.”
Days after the revolt, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that Prigozhin was in Belarus. But last week the president said that the head of the mercenaries was in Russia while his troops remained in his camps.
Peskov said that during the June 29 meeting, Putin offered an “assessment” of Wagner’s actions on the battlefield in Ukraine and “of the events of June 24.” The president also “listened to the explanations of the commanders and offered them options to continue using them and to continue using them in combat,” the Kremlin spokesman said.
A total of 35 people participated in the meeting, Peskov said. Putin has given Prigozhin’s fighters options: fight as part of the Russian regular army, retire from service or join Prigozhin in Belarus.
*With PA; adapted from its original in English
