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Kremlin Says Putin Met With Prigozhin In Russia On June 29, Days After Mutiny

(Article text Copyright © 2023 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036. – rferl.org – July 10, 2023 – article text also appeared at rferl.org/a/putin-prigozhin-meeting-kremlin-ukraine-mutiny-mercenary/32496760.html)

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the private Wagner mercenary group, on June 29, just five days after the group had marched to within 200 kilometers (120 miles) of Moscow in a short-lived mutiny.

Peskov said in a meeting with journalists on July 10 that the meeting was part of a three-hour gathering of 35 people, which included unit commanders from Wagner, who conveyed to the Russian leader that they would continue to fight for him in the war against Ukraine.

Peskov did not say where Prigozhin currently is, nor did he give any further details on the meeting, which was first reported by French newspaper Liberation.

"The only thing we can say is that the president gave his assessment of the company's performance on the front line during the special military operation, and also gave his assessment of the June 24 events. Putin listened to the commanders' explanations and offered options for their employment and combat role," Peskov added.

The whereabouts of Prigozhin have remained unknown since his fighters briefly captured a southern Russian city and marched toward Moscow last month, representing the biggest threat to Putin in his more than two decades in power.

On June 27, the leader of Belarus, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, said Prigozhin was in Belarus, but nine days later he claimed the Wagner chief was in St. Petersburg. He gave no proof for either claim.

Lukashenka, a Kremlin ally, helped broker a deal for Prigozhin to end the standoff in exchange for amnesty and security guarantees for himself and his troops. Under the deal, Prigozhin and his fighters were to be allowed to move to Belarus.

But Lukashenka said last week that Wagner troops had yet to come to Belarus, raising questions over whether the deal between Putin and Prigozhin was actually being implemented.

NATO is closely monitoring the movements of Wagner troops and Prigozhin, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on July 6.

With reporting by Reuters and TASS

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Key Words: Russia, Russian Military, Mutiny, Prigozhin, Wagner Group, Russo-Ukrainian War, Belarus, Lukashenka