Following Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s short-lived mutiny, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his government find themselves in unchartered territory. The crisis appears to have been averted, for now, but what happens next for Russia and the Wagner Group remains uncertain.
For day 17 of the AfroBloggers #WinterABC2023 blogging challenge let’s talk a bit about the very short mutiny which warmed up the seemingly dying ambers of the Russia- Ukraine crisis.
The events, which began on Saturday June 17th, appeared to take everyone but the battle-hardened mercenary group by surprise. Wagner forces rapidly took control of Rostov, one of Russia’s largest cities, where they were met with minimal resistance from local security forces and occupied the regional military headquarters.
They continued to march on Moscow before Prigozhin ordered his mercenaries to turn back 200km (124 miles) from the capital. He agreed to go into exile in Belarus after brokering a deal with the country’s President Alexander Lukashenko.
The mutiny appears to be over, but the fate of the mercenary group that has proven so influential in Ukraine, as well as Syria and many African countries, remains to be seen.
The Kremlin has publicly announced aspects of the deal, including the agreement that Prigozhin will be allowed to go to Belarus without facing criminal charges. Lukashenko’s office said the settlement contains security guarantees for Wagner troops, but details are scant and confusing.
Public challenges of the Russian president rarely end well, with many leading critics, such as opposition figure Alexey Navalny, often ending up poisoned or dying under suspicious circumstances.
Had you been with me, I would be posing a question to you, “Do you think Prigozhin’s deal with Belarus can guarantee his safety from the wrath of Moscow?”
THE LEO NATION 
One thought on “Of Wagner warmth”