Keyphrase – Putin Prigozhin Lukashenko ~~ It’s been more than one year and four month since Russia started it’s invasion of Ukraine but Russia never faced a crisis like it has today. This is not because Ukraine has done something unusual but it is because of some internal problems of Russian government. It all started when the news came that the head of the Wagner Group revolted against President Vladimir Putin.
Putin was devastated with this but stern in his stand. He has taken number of measures to punish the revolt. But now it has been reported that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group has ordered his troops to halt their march to the capital. Prigozhin ordered the mercenaries to retreat to their field in Ukraine to avoid shedding Russian blood.
This statement is a big relief for Moscow. According to reports, Prigozhin’s army was less than 200 km away from Moscow. It is believed that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko negotiated a deal with Prigozhin. The office of Belarusian President announced that he had negotiated a deal with prigozhin to halt Wagner’s advance.
The statement mentioned that the proposed security guarantees includes in the contents of settlement for Wagner troops. Prigozhin is demanding the removal of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. It is not clear whether Prigozhin put this demand with Lukashenko.
According to latest media reports,” Russian Spokesman Dmitry Peskov just made an announcement. Charges against Prigozhin and Wagner have been dropped and he is going to Belarus. Wagner who did not join Prigozhin were given MoD contracts. No changes to Russian leadership.”
Earlier in the day, Russian President Vladimir Putin used a tough language against organizers of the “\armed rebellion” led by his former ally Yevgeny Prigozhin. Putin called this rebellion a “betrayal” and “treason.”
Putin said,”All those who prepared the rebellion will suffer inevitable punishment,”. He also added, “The armed forces and other government agencies have received the necessary orders.”
Prigozhin is currently involved in the fight in Ukraine, has brough his troops back into Russia. He seized a key military facility in Rostov-on-Don and advanced towards Moscow on what he called a “march for justice”.
He claimed to have 25000 soldiers with him and also claimed he did not kill a single person on the way to Moscow.
A former Friend of Putin
Prigozhin is actually a former friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin founded Wagner in 2014, in order to assist Putin’s invasion of Crimea. Since then he has been involved in Russian ‘interventions’ across the world, especially in Africa and Syria.
~ Keyphrase – Putin Prigozhin Lukashenko