Prigozhin’s Wagner group 'doesn’t exist' in Putin's eyes: report

14 July 2023

In Russian President Vladimir Putin's attempt to take over the Wagner parliamentary group, Putin is claiming his former ally Yevgeny Prigozhin's military force is now defunct, The Messenger reports.

This comes after Prigozhin launched tried and failed to launch a revolt against Putin last month. Ukrainian officials believed the mercenary boss' attempted attack "was a sign of a burgeoning civil war in the country that invaded Ukraine 16 months ago."

According to The Messenger, a spokesman for the president revealed said earlier this week, "Putin met with Wagner commanders and their blustery leader" during "a meeting on June 29, five days after Wagner forces staged their dramatic mutiny against Moscow’s defense establishment."

However, Putin "said nothing of a role for" Prigozhin, "who hasn't been seen in public since leaving the southern Russian city of Rostov on June 24."

According to The Messenger, during an interview with Kommersant news organization Thursday, July 13, Putin said "he offered to allow Wagner fighters to continue their service under Russian government control, and with a new leader – a senior Wagner officer from Putin's hometown of St. Petersburg known by the nom de guerre 'Sedoi' - or 'Grey Hair.'"

Per the report, Putin said Prigozhin emphasized, "No, the boys won't agree with such a decision," referring to the idea of serving under "Grey Hair."

The Russian president made clear his current view of the mercenary group, saying, "But Wagner does not exist. There is no law on private military organizations. It just doesn't exist."

Referring to the state of the Wagner military officials days after Prigozhin's attempted revolt, Putin said, "All of them could have gathered 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 real commander all that time."

The Messenger's full report is available at this link.

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