Russian President Vladimir Putin has revealed for the first time the details of his meeting with Yevgeny Prigozhin and other Wagner commanders, which took place five days after the mercenary group’s failed rebellion.
In an interview with the Russian newspaper Kommersantthe Russian leader has said he offered Wagner fighters options to meet “in one place” and “keep serving”.
“All of them could meet in one place and continue to serve. Nothing would change for them. They would be led by the same person (Commander Sedoi) who was their real commander all that time,” Putin said about the content of his proposal to Wagner at a meeting with 35 commanders of the group in the Kremlin on June 29.
[“Mis compañeros seguirán a Prigozhin a muerte”: así se vive la rebelión desde dentro del Grupo Wagner]
Putin has assured that after hearing the proposal, many of those present at the meeting began to nod their headsbut Prigozhin did not see it and replied that the guys did not agree.
To the journalist’s question about whether Wagner will remain as a combat unit after the failed mutiny, Putin has responded that this private military company “does not exist”. “We do not have a law on private military organizations, that is why it does not exist,” Putin said, adding that it is a legal matter related to the “real legalization” of this type of paramilitary companies.
As the Kremlin said this week, in the meeting with Wagner on June 29, Putin listened to “the explanations of the commanders” about the mutiny that starred five days ago and offered employment options after the rebellion.
“The commanders themselves presented their version of what happened and stressed that they were staunch supporters and soldiers of the head of state and the general commander,” said the spokesman for the Russian Presidency, Dmitri Peskov. Wagner’s leaders “also said they were willing to continue fighting for the Fatherland,” he added.
