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Where is Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin? Here’s what happened after aborted rebellion
Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin arrived in Belarus under a deal that ended the brief mutiny against the Russian military by his fighters. Russian authorities have closed their criminal investigation into the rebellion and will press no charges against Prigozhin and his troops.
The mercenary Wagner group made headlines last week after leader Yevgeny Prigozhin led an armed rebellion against Russian President Vladimir Putin. Around 5,000 members of the military group had marched towards Moscow, being welcomed with cheers in some parts of the country. The Wagner soldiers eventually turned back some 200 miles away from the capital city under a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Russian authorities have now closed their criminal investigation into the rebellion and announced that they would be pressing no charges against Prigozhin and his troops. The developments came even as the Wagner chief landed in Belarus under the terms of the deal.
“I see Prigozhin is already flying in on this plane. Yes, indeed, he is in Belarus today,” Lukashenko was quoted as saying by BELTA.
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A plane linked to Prigozhin is believed to have carried him into exile earlier on Tuesday morning. According to a flight tracking service the aircraft landed in Belarus from the southern Russian city of Rostov.
Prigozhin, a former Putin ally and ex-convict whose mercenaries have fought the bloodiest battles of the Ukraine war and taken heavy casualties, had earlier said he would go to neighbouring Belarus at the invitation of Putin ally and President Lukashenko.
Preparations are also underway for Wagner's troops - who numbered 25,000 according to Prigozhin - to hand over their heavy weapons to the Russian military. The Wagner chief had earlier said that those moves were being taken ahead of a July 1 deadline for his fighters to sign contracts — which he opposed — to serve under the Russian military’s command.
(With inputs from agencies)
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Business NewsNewsWorldWhere is Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin? Here’s what happened after aborted rebellion
First Published:27 Jun 2023, 11:07 PM IST
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