The Pentagon has confirmed that the Wagner mercenary group no longer participating in any significant capacity in support of combat operations in Ukraine.”
This announcement comes in the wake of the group’s recent 24-hour mutiny in Russia, which challenged President Vladimir Putin’s authority.
Wagner, known for its involvement in Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its participation in brutal battles, was instrumental in capturing the eastern city of Bakhmut for Russia.
However, according to the terms of the agreement that ended the mutiny in June, Wagner fighters were given the option to join the regular Russian army or accompany their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, to Belarus.
Interestingly, the Kremlin revealed that Putin had met with Prigozhin in Moscow just days after the mutiny.
In an interview with the Russian daily Kommersant, Prigozhin stated that the fighters could have chosen to “continue their service” in the Russian regular military.
He emphasized that there is no legal framework for private military organizations, stating frankly, “Wagner does not exist.”
Meanwhile, during a news conference in Finland, US President Joe Biden warned Prigozhin to be cautious about potential poisoning following the uprising.
He expressed his belief that eventually, Putin would realize that continuing the war is not in Russia’s best interest, whether economically, politically, or otherwise. However, he admitted that the exact course of events is difficult to predict.
Biden also expressed hope and expectation that Ukraine’s current counter-offensive would make sufficient progress to facilitate a negotiated peace settlement.
Ukraine has long called on Western allies to provide increased military assistance to bolster its resistance against the Russian invasion.
Although the recent NATO summit in Lithuania did not yield a concrete timeframe for Ukraine’s membership, the G7 members did offer a long-term security framework to help protect against Russian aggression.
