Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov revealed the most important points of agreement between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian Alexander Lukashenko, within the framework of Minsk’s mediation to end the armed rebellion through a settlement process.
Peskov said: “Wagner fighters who did not participate in the rebellion will sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense, and other fighters will not be prosecuted.”
He highlighted that the Russian president is the guarantor of the settlement agreement, which was brokered by Lukashenko.
The Kremlin said Prigozhin would move to Belarus “and the criminal charges against him will be dropped,” according to Russia Today.
Points included in the agreement:
- Some of the “Wagner” fighters who initially refused to participate in Prigozhin’s “campaign” will have the opportunity to join the ranks of the Russian armed forces and contract with the Ministry of Defense.
- They will not be subject to any legal prosecution.
- Wagner forces return to their camps.
- The part that does not want to return to headquarters and camps signs agreements with the Russian Ministry of Defense.
- Closing the criminal case against Prigozhin and he will leave for Belarus.
Peskov also made it clear that the Russian and Belarusian presidents agreed on Minsk’s mediation in the settlement process, pointing out that the mediation “was a personal initiative by the President of Belarus.”
He added that Lukashenko’s efforts were based on avoiding bloodshed and internal confrontation.
Peskov stressed that what happened today will not in any way affect the course of the special military operation in Ukraine, stressing that the Russian forces continue to successfully repel the Ukrainian counterattack.
Prigozhin said, after about 24 hours of “armed rebellion” in several Russian regions, that he had ordered his fighters, who were advancing towards Moscow, to return to their bases to avoid bloodshed.
Prigozhin said in an audio recording broadcast by his office: “Now is the time when blood can be shed. Therefore… our convoys are returning to the field camps according to plan.”
Later, Prigozhin appeared, leaving with a number of his fighters the headquarters of the Military Administration of the Southern District in the city of Rostov.
Why did Lukashenko mediate?
On the other hand, Peskov revealed, yesterday, Saturday, the reason why Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko proposed mediation on the “Wagner” issue.
“Indeed, Presidents Putin and Lukashenko have agreed that the latter will make mediation efforts to settle the situation,” Peskov told reporters, according to the Russian news website Sputnik.
He added, “You will probably ask me, why President Lukashenko in particular. The fact is that Alexander Grigorievich (Lukashenko) has been personally acquainted with Prigozhin for a long time … about 20 years ago and this was his personal proposal, which was agreed upon with President Putin.”
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