Wagner forces return to base after aborted mutiny humiliates Putin

Vladimir Putin records an address from his office as Wagner troops advance toward Moscow - Copyright AP Photo

By Euronews with AP/AFP

Published on 25/06/2023 - 07:14•Updated 26/06/2023 - 07:05

A brief revolt saw Wagner Group soldiers under Yevgeny Prigozhin's command move unimpeded into the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and advance toward Moscow before abruptly turning back.

The head of the private Russian military company Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, will move to neighbouring Belarus as part of a deal to defuse tensions and the criminal case against him will be closed, it was announced last night.

Prigozhin's sudden move towards Moscow briefly threw the immediate future of the Putin government into question, but it was only a matter of hours before the agreement was struck and his troops turned back.