By The Associated Press
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin on the Kremlin days after the commander led a short-lived revolt, a senior authorities spokesman stated Monday, the most recent twist in a baffling episode that has raised questions concerning the energy and affect held by each males.
The three-hour assembly occurred on June 29 and likewise concerned commanders from Prigozhin’s Wagner Group navy contractor, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated. Putin gave an evaluation of Wagner’s actions on the battlefield in Ukraine — the place the mercenaries have fought alongside Russian troops — and of the revolt itself. The Wagner forces pledged loyalty to Putin, in keeping with Peskov.
The affirmation that Putin met face-to-face with Prigozhin, who led troops on a march to Moscow final month so as to demand a change of protection minister, was extraordinary. Though Putin branded Prigozhin a traitor because the revolt unfolded, the prison case towards the mercenary chief was later dropped and his final destiny stays unclear.
Adding to the bizarre nature of the assembly was that till very not too long ago, Putin had denied any hyperlink between the state and Prigozhin’s forces. Though mercenaries are unlawful in Russia, Wagner troops have fought for Russian pursuits across the globe and performed an important position within the seize of Bakhmut within the battle’s longest and bloodiest battle.
But all through the battle, Prigozhin has criticized choices made by Russia’s high navy brass, resulting in tensions with the Kremlin that culminated on June 24 in an armed mutiny wherein he led his fighters into Russia.
The revolt severely weakened Putin’s authority, though Prigozhin claimed that the rebellion was not aimed on the president however at eradicating Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and navy chief Gen. Valery Gerasimov. Prigozhin ended his mutiny after a deal was brokered for him to go to Belarus.
Russia’s Defense Ministry revealed a video that includes Gerasimov on Monday — the primary time he has been seen because the revolt.
The twin updates seemed to be one other try by the Kremlin to point out it’s in management after a turbulent interval. But many questions stay, together with concerning the deal that ended Prigozhin’s revolt.
Days after the revolt, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated Prigozhin was in Belarus. But final week the president stated the mercenary chief was in Russia whereas his troops remained of their camps.
Peskov stated that through the June 29 assembly, Putin supplied an “assessment” of Wagner’s actions on the battlefield in Ukraine and “of the events of June 24.” The president additionally “listened to the explanations of the commanders and offered them options for further employment and further use in combat,” the Kremlin spokesman stated.
“The commanders themselves presented their version of what happened. They underscored that they are staunch supporters and soldiers of the head of state and the commander-in-chief, and also said that they are ready to continue to fight for their homeland,” Peskov stated.
A complete of 35 individuals took half within the assembly, Peskov stated.
Meanwhile, a Russian airstrike on a college in southern Ukraine killed 4 adults as individuals gathered to obtain humanitarian assist, the governor of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia area stated Monday, branding the assault “a war crime.”
Three ladies and a person, all of their 40s, died within the strike Sunday within the city of Orikhiv, Gov. Yuriy Malashko stated.
A guided aerial bomb brought on an explosion on the faculty, Malashko stated, with out offering proof. Eleven different individuals had been wounded within the assault, he stated.
Overall, Russia fired on 10 settlements within the province over the course of a day, he stated.
Moscow denies it targets civilian places. Russia has been accused quite a few instances of doing so and committing different battle crimes since its February 2022 invasion of neighboring Ukraine.
In March, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for battle crimes, accusing him of non-public duty for the abductions of youngsters from Ukraine.
Investigations are additionally underway in Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. The International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression towards Ukraine, positioned in The Hague, helps with these probes.
Zaporizhzhia province is residence to Europe’s largest nuclear energy plant, which Russian forces seized early within the battle, and is certainly one of 4 areas of Ukraine that Putin illegally annexed final 12 months. Retaking the province is without doubt one of the targets of a Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Russian aerial assaults continued throughout Ukraine between Sunday and Monday, in keeping with a abstract from the Ukrainian presidential workplace.
In the Donetsk area within the east, the Russians used plane, missile programs and heavy artillery to shell residential areas of 6 cities and villages, injuring one particular person, the workplace reported.
The Russian military attacked residential areas of Kherson, the regional capital of a province of the identical title. A 66-year-old girl was injured, the presidential workplace stated.
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Follow AP’s protection of the battle in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Source: www.bostonherald.com”