Russian President Offers Wagner Fighters Chance to Serve in Regular Army
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview published late Thursday that he offered fighters from the Russian private military group Wagner the opportunity to continue serving in the Russian regular army.
In an interview with the Russian newspaper Kommersant, Putin said he made the offer at a meeting with militants and the group’s founder Yevgeny Prigozhin late last month, five days after Wagner staged a failed mutiny against the Russian army’s high command.
The uprising eventually gave Moscow the opportunity for Prigozhin and the Wagnerites to settle in neighboring Belarus.
Putin also said that the Russian parliament and government should discuss the legal basis for private military groups.
Putin told the newspaper: “Wagner does not exist. There is no law on private military organizations.”
Pentagon: Wagner has no significant relationship with Ukraine
For its part, the Pentagon said on Thursday that the Wagner Group is not involved in any significant military operations in Ukraine.
“At the moment, we do not see significant involvement of Wagner forces in support of the fighting in Ukraine,” said Pentagon spokesman Brigadier General Patrick Ryder.
Wagner fighters fought some of the fiercest fighting of the war in Ukraine. But after the mutiny on June 23-24, the militants were given a choice: go into exile, join the regular Russian troops, or return home.
The Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday that Wagner is completing the supply of weapons to Russia’s regular armed forces.
