Although he nearly plunged Russia into the next armed conflict, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was celebrated as a hero when his fighters left Rostov-on-Don. With loud shouts of “Wagner, Wagner” and applause, the mercenaries left on Saturday evening. The Russian government had previously announced that an agreement had been reached with Prigozhin.
According to Prigozhin, the Wagner militiamen had already left the territory of the Russian army headquarters they occupied today “without firing a shot”. According to the Kommersant newspaper, locals flocked to bid farewell to the Wagner people.
Residents celebrate Wagner mercenaries
“Thank you for coming here today. I finally started to believe in this country,” one of the residents of Rostov-on-Don told Wagner’s militia officers, the newspaper reported.
Local residents shouted “Wagner”, clapped their hands and took pictures with the military equipment leaving the city, as several videos on social networks show.
Agreed with the government on impunity
The mercenary group’s departure from Rostov-on-Don comes less than two hours after Prigozhin announced that Wagner would return to his bases to avoid bloodshed in Russia. In exchange for ending their uprising, Prigozhin and his fighters will not be prosecuted, according to the Kremlin. In return, some of the Wagner mercenaries will be subordinated to the Russian Defense Ministry.
Prigozhin should go to Belarus
After the Minsk-mediated withdrawal of the Wagner fighters, Prigozhin would go to Belarus and not have to fear criminal proceedings in Russia, the Kremlin announced on Saturday evening. It is unclear what position he will fulfill there, and whether he may have been promised a political position.
Russia expert Gerhard Mangott said in the “ZiB 2” on Saturday night that Prigozhin now going to Belarus is “a breather at best”. The Wagner boss remains “a disturbing factor” for Putin: “The question is how long Putin can live with the fact that Prigozhin is still alive.” In any case, Putin’s authority has come under great pressure. It was surprising that there had been no military intervention: “This indicates that there are not many people around Putin who jumped next to him and did everything to stop Prigozhin.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
