Private army leader Yevgeny Prigozhin announced on June 24, 2023, that his forces have “turned around” and are returning to field camps to avoid spilling more Russian blood, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Prigozhin’s Wagner Group had been marching towards Moscow, prompting fear of an armed assault, with Russian President Vladimir Putin vowing harsh consequences for those involved in the plot.
The Associated Press reports that Prigozhin claimed his troops were only 120 miles from Moscow but turned around to avoid further bloodshed.
The Kremlin has not commented on Prigozhin’s demand to oust Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s office has said a deal has been brokered with Prigozhin, and he has accepted Lukashenko’s offer to halt the Wagner group’s advance and de-escalate tensions.
The group represents the most existential threat to Putin’s regime since he took power over two decades ago.
The conflict began on Friday, June 23, when Prigozhin’s private army, the Wagner Group, initiated what Russian leadership called an “armed rebellion.” The coup was the most significant threat to Putin’s regime since he took power over two decades ago.
Wagner’s march towards Moscow had prompted fears of an armed assault, and President Putin vowed severe consequences for those involved. By Saturday, Prigozhin announced on social media that his forces are “returning to field camps” to “avoid any further bloodshed.”
The AP reports that Prigozhin claimed his troops were only 120 miles from Moscow and didn’t say whether the Kremlin has responded to his demand to remove Defense Minister Shoigu.
The outlet did not provide details of the proposed agreement, only stating that it guarantees the security of Wagner troops.