June 24th 2023.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner force, has announced that he will be taking a step back to prevent any potential loss of Russian lives. On Saturday, Prigozhin issued orders for his mercenaries to retreat to their field camps in Ukraine, rather than continue their advance towards Moscow.
The sudden decision comes after President Vladimir Putin warned of severe consequences in response to Wagner's actions. Prigozhin explained that even though his forces were only 200 kilometers away from Moscow, he made the decision to avoid “shedding Russian blood".
The Kremlin has yet to provide any official response to Prigozhin's request to remove Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Meanwhile, Prigozhin released an audio statement on Saturday, stating, "We came out on 23 June to the March of Justice. In a day, we walked to nearly 200km away from Moscow. In this time, we did not spill a single drop of blood of our fighters. Now, the moment has come when blood may spill. That’s why, understanding the responsibility for spilling Russian blood on one of the sides, we are turning back our convoys and going back to field camps according to the plan."
The agreement with Wagner's commander was made possible through a deal with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Lukashenko's office released a statement that Prigozhin has agreed to halt the advancement of the Wagner group and take further measures to de-escalate the prevailing tensions. The settlement also includes security assurances for the Wagner troops, though the specifics remain undisclosed.
The Wagner group is no stranger to conflict around the world, having bagged contracts for gold, uranium, and oil exploitation globally. It appears that the recent announcement has effectively diffused a growing crisis that could have had far-reaching consequences.
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