Putin sows doubts about Wagner’s future after meeting with Prigozhin

An alliance in limbo? Amid a series of twists and turns, the future of the Wagner mercenary group and Russia in the war in Ukraine appears to be undefined.

In an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin with the local newspaper ‘Kommersant’, whose excerpts were published between Thursday, July 13 and this Friday, July 14, the president assured that the paramilitary force has no legal basis and, therefore, “simply does not exist”.

“There is no law on private military organizations,” argued the president.

Indeed, the experts point out that the group, questioned for its human rights violations, is not registered as a legal entity anywhere in the world. In fact, under Russian law, mercenaries are illegal, so it is penalized to serve as a soldier for hire.

But these conditions so far have not been an impediment for Wagner to have fought on behalf of Russia in the conflicts in which he has been involved in countries in Africa and Syria, and in the invasion that the Kremlin launched since February 2022 against Ukraine, where claimed “achievements” such as the capture of the city of Bakhmut, it announced last May.

However, uncertainty has surrounded the fate of the private paramilitary force and that of its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, since the unprecedented mutiny that he led against the Russian military leadership between June 23 and 24.

That move threatened to turn into a “civil war”, as Putin acknowledged after the group warned that it would march on Moscow, while asking for the heads of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and senior commanders of the Russian Army, to whom the paramilitary group accused of being “incompetent” and responsible for the enormous bloodshed among its ranks due to the lack of military support and weapons. In addition, the mercenary formation denounced that the Russian Army bombed their bases.

On June 29, the head of the Duma defense committee, Andrei Kartapolov, maintained that the paramilitary group will no longer fight on Ukrainian territory because Prigozhin refused to sign any contract with the Kremlin.

But now, the Kremlin would be considering the possible continuity of Wagner in the Ukrainian territory. In the last few hours, the spokesman for the Russian Presidency, Dmitry Peskov, assured that Wagner’s legal situation must be “reviewed”. Although, he admitted that it’s “quite complicated.”

Asked if new legislation on the status of private military companies is likely, he said “it will at least be under consideration.”

Despite the crossover of statements, Moscow seems not to completely close the door to the participation of a paramilitary force on the battlefront in Ukraine.

Currently, Wagner no longer participates significantly in Russian offensives against Ukraine, according to the Pentagon. However, they remain in areas occupied by Kremlin troops.

“At this stage, we don’t see Wagner’s forces engaging in any meaningful way in support of combat operations in Ukraine,” Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder told a news conference Thursday, July 13.

Putin Confirms He Offered Wagner To Continue Fighting For Russia After Failed Rebellion

During the interview with ‘Kommersant’, the Russian president also indicated that he offered the mercenaries of the private military company the option of continuing to serve as a single unit under the command of the same officer, known as ‘grey hair’, a man who has directed the military company’s operations in Ukraine for the past 16 months.

According to the version given by Putin to the newspaper, on June 29 there was a meeting in the Kremlin, which was attended by 35 Wagner commanders, including the head of the mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in which he made the offer directly to them.

“All of them could have met in one place and continued to serve (…) And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their true commander all along,” Putin said.

According to the Russian president, many of Wagner’s commanders agreed when he made his proposal, but Prigozhin, who was sitting in front and did not see his reaction, quickly rejected the idea, replying that “the guys will not agree to such a decision.”

Putin did not say whether there was another proposal on the table for Wagner to continue on the Russian front lines.

Publicly and after the aborted rebellion, the Russian president had indicated that Wagner’s troops would have to choose between signing direct contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry, going into exile in neighboring Belarus or withdrawing from service.

Russia launches new wave of attacks on Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky’s hometown

As the Kremlin tries to determine a possible new link to Wagner’s invasion, Russian troops continue to lay siege to various Ukrainian towns.

The invading army launched a new wave of attacks early Friday against the central city of Kryvyi Rih, the birthplace of Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky.

At least one man was injured and several buildings were damaged amid the drone strikes, the region’s governor said.

However, the consequences could have been greater. The Ukrainian Air Force said it had intercepted 16 of the 17 Iranian-made Shahed attack drones launched by Russia. The aircraft were shot down in the southern and eastern areas of the country.

With Reuters, AP and local media