Russian President Vladimir Putin and Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin met in Moscow five days after the mercenary group’s short-lived rebellion against Moscow, the Kremlin claimed Monday.
The meeting, confirmed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, appears to introduce fresh uncertainly about Prigozhin’s continuing influence with Russia’s leader in the wake of the failed armed mutiny.
Peskov said that on June 29 Prigozhin offered an “assessment” of Wagner’s actions on the battlefield in Ukraine and “of the events of June 24,” according to Russian state media. He said Putin “listened to the explanations of the commanders and offered them options for further employment and further use in combat.”
The meeting lasted about three hours.
The apparent challenge to Putin ended after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko promised Prigozhin an amnesty for him and his troops provided they relocate to neighboring Belarus. But Russian media reported last week that Prigozhin had recently been seen at his offices in St. Petersburg.
The rebellion, launched amid Prigozhin’s claimed frustration with Russia’s military leadership and its handling of the war in Ukraine, lasted just 24 hours. Prigozhin’s current whereabouts have not been publicly disclosed. His private army has helped Russia’s regular armed forces in key battles in eastern Ukraine.
According to Peskov, Prigozhin offered his unconditional support to Putin during their meeting in Moscow.
