After deal, Wagner chief's whereabouts unknown

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, June 25

The crisis in Russia appears to have blown over after leader of the short-lived mutiny Yevgeny Prigozhin left the district military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don late on Saturday in an SUV and his whereabouts thereafter were not known.

All fighters of his private military group Wagner were reported to be headed back to their bases armed with Kremlin’s guarantees for their safety. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who brokered the deal under which Prigozhin would move to Minsk, spoke to Putin on Sunday morning. This was his third conversation with the Russian leader after Wagner mercenaries claimed to have captured military headquarters in Rostov and travelled hundreds of kilometres towards Moscow on a “march for justice” against alleged military mismanagement and attacks by the Russian military on their formations.

Under the agreement reached late on Saturday, Russia will drop criminal charges against Prigozhin for armed mutiny, the latter will shift to Belarus and Wagner fighters will not face action.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken felt the turmoil in Russia might not be over and could take months to play out. “Prigozhin himself, in this entire incident, has raised profound questions about the very premises for Russian aggression against Ukraine in the first place, saying Ukraine or NATO did not pose a threat to Russia, which is part of Putin’s narrative. And it was a direct challenge to Putin’s authority. So this raises profound questions. It shows real cracks,” he told an American TV channel.

China said it supported Russia in maintaining its national stability and that the recent incidents were Russia’s “internal affairs”. The statement came after Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko reached Beijing on Sunday for talks and his ministry said, “The Chinese side expressed support for the efforts of the leadership of the Russian Federation to stabilise the situation in the country in connection with the events of June 24.”

Blinken sees more trouble for Russia

• US Secy of State Blinken feels turmoil in Russia could take months to play out
• Says Prigozhin has raised questions about premise for Ukraine conflict

China: Moscow’s internal matter

• China says it supports Russia in maintaining its stability and the recent incidents are Russia’s ‘internal matter’