Moscow declares end of mutiny, Wagner leaves Rostov

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
25 Jun 2023 10:27

After the attempted armed mutiny led by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin yesterday, the governor of Rostov Province announces that Wagner convoys left the territory of the province.

Wagner PMC members driving a BTR-82A photographed while leaving the Russian city of Rostov-On-Don, Russia, June 25, 2023 (Social Media)

Rostov Governor Vasily Golubev announced on Sunday evening that the Wagner group began its exit from Rostov on Sunday evening as determined in the mediated agreement led by Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko.

On his Telegram channel, Golubev wrote: "The Wagner PMC convoy left Rostov and headed to its field camps," adding "I am grateful to everyone who in these extraordinary conditions ensured the smooth operation of the life support systems in the Don capital and the entire Rostov region."

This is how the convoy of "Wagner" military equipment left Rostov-on-Don last night pic.twitter.com/6oNAJgqoPV
— Sprinter (@Sprinter99880) June 25, 2023

Multiple videos published on social media showed Wagner PMC members leaving their positions and driving their vehicles on their way out of the city.

Earlier, on Saturday, Golubev confirmed that the Rostov region supports Russian President Vladimir Putin in light of the attempted armed mutiny in the country, underlining that a catastrophe such as division cannot be allowed to happen again.

Alexander Gusev, the governor of Russia's Voronezh region, stressed that no circumstances can force Russians to doubt the soundness of the Russian President's approach, stressing that any attempt to overthrow the constitution will fail and will be eliminated.

To 'avoid bloodshed', Wagner chief agrees to Minsk offer to deescalate

The head of the Wagner Group private military company (PMC), Yevgeny Prigozhin, had accepted the proposal of Lukashenko to stop the movement of Wagner fighters in Russia and take further steps to de-escalate the situation, the Belarusian presidential office announced on Saturday.

That morning, Putin briefed his Belarusian counterpart on the situation in southern Russia around the Wagner PMC, with the two leaders agreeing on coordinated actions, Lukashenko's office mentioned in a statement.

"In line with the agreements and as agreed with the Russian president, the Belarusian president held talks with the head of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, after additionally clarifying the situation via its own channels," the statement read.

It continued, "As a result, agreements on the unacceptability of unleashing a bloody slaughter on the Russian territory were reached. Yevgeny Prigozhin has accepted the proposal of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to stop the movement of Wagner troops on the Russian territory and take further steps to de-escalate tensions."

On his part, Prigozhin confirmed that PMC Wagner is turning its troop columns back and moving back to its field camps.