June 26, BPN. Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered Wagner mercenaries several options, including to go to Belarus, declaring most of them courageous patriots.
“They tried to covertly exploit them against their brothers in arms, with whom they fought for the country and its future,” he said in an address to the nation tonight, without naming his foes.
Wagner fighters could sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense or return to their families, he said. “Those willing could go to Belarus,” he said. “The choice is yours.”
Putin also thanked the Belarusian strongman, Alaksandr Łukašenka, “for his efforts and contribution to a peaceful settlement.”
A long-standing feud between Russian warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia’s military brass resulted in his mercenaries taking over a military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don and marching on Moscow over the weekend.
Official reports suggest that Łukašenka has brokered a deal allowing the Wagner boss to go into exile in Belarus because he eventually called off the uprising. The Kremlin said he will not be prosecuted, although Russian media report that the case against him is still open.
In an audio released by his press office, Prigozhin said the march was organized as a show of protest, not to overthrow the Russian government.
He said the Russian military carried out a missile strike on his troops and planned to incorporate his private army, causing discontent among the troops.
Verstka, a Russian media outlet, claims that construction workers in Belarus are building camps for Wagner fighters. At the same time, Ukraine’s military intelligence said there were no reports of Wagner mercenaries regrouping and moving into the country “in a systematic way.”
The Belarusian media reports that Łukašenka and Putin will meet tomorrow.
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