According to recent reports, three weeks following a brief mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group in Russia, President Vladimir Putin has stated that the troops can continue their fighting operations, but without their controversial leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Meanwhile, the government of Belarus has confirmed the presence of some Wagner fighters in the country, where they are reportedly providing training to Belarusian forces.

The future of the Wagner group and its personnel, known for their significant involvement in Putin's war against Ukraine, remains uncertain amidst the dissension and turmoil within the Russian military hierarchy that has become publicly visible since the rebellion.

President Putin, aiming to showcase his unwavering control over state affairs in the aftermath of the mutiny, revealed details of a three-hour meeting in the Kremlin that took place shortly after the uprising. During this meeting, Putin engaged with Prigozhin and other top commanders, firmly expressing his intention to sideline Prigozhin, the director of Wagner.

In an interview published late, Putin portrayed himself as a composed and impartial arbiter, standing above the chaos. He depicted the mutiny as a minor internal dispute that he successfully resolved while acknowledging the military accomplishments of the Wagner fighters.

According to Kommersant, a Russian business daily that conducted the interview along with a journalist from state television, Putin suggested that a new leader be appointed to helm the Wagner group in place of Prigozhin.

The situation surrounding the Wagner group and its operations continues to evolve, reflecting the ongoing power struggles within the Russian military apparatus.

Putin said he told the Wagner troops that he “regretted that they had appeared dragged” into the mutiny, appearing to pin the blame on Prigozhin.

“I outlined the possible paths for their future military service, including in combat,” he added.

“Many nodded as I was speaking,” Mr Putin said, but Prigozhin, who he said sat in the front and didn’t see the nodding, responded that the “guys do not agree with such a decision”.

The government has mandated that Wagner troops wishing to continue fighting must sign contracts with the Ministry of Defence, potentially integrating them into Russia's regular military. This move has been met with opposition from Prigozhin.

However, Putin's recent remarks suggest the possibility of ongoing Wagner units. Putin aims to differentiate between the fighters themselves, whose skills he can leverage, and the mercenary leader whom he now views as unreliable and irresponsible, according to Tatiana Stanovaya, a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“They want to preserve the core of Wagner but under different leadership, one that is clearly much more loyal, and even controllable,” Ms Stanovaya said in a phone interview.

“That meeting was a sign of reconciliation – not in the sense that the conflict is over, but in the sense that there are now rules of the game; you have to follow them,” she added.

Earlier, a Kremlin spokesman confirmed a meeting between President Putin and Wagner commanders, where their concerns were discussed. President Lukashenko of Belarus, who assisted in resolving the Wagner uprising, initially stated that Belarus would welcome the fighters.

However, he later claimed that no Wagner troops were present in Belarus, and the military showcased an unoccupied camp to foreign journalists. Nevertheless, the Belarusian Defence Ministry recently confirmed that Wagner soldiers are instructing members of a Belarusian military force in defence and battlefield tactics.

Although Prigozhin's rebellion aimed to remove Moscow's military leaders, not topple Putin himself, the armoured column he sent toward the capital was halted after receiving assurances of no punishment for him and the Wagner troops. The Pentagon stated that Wagner troops are no longer actively engaged in major fighting in Ukraine, while the Russian Defence Ministry reported that they have relinquished much of their weapons and equipment.

As the mercenaries remain inactive and largely disarmed, the Kremlin has taken steps to diminish the influence of their controversial leader, Prigozhin. Prigozhin's media outlets have been shut down, and Russian state television has portrayed him as an unsavoury figure.

Putin has hinted at a possible new leader for Wagner, referring to a man known as "Sedoi" or "Gray-haired," believed to be Andrei Troshev according to EU sanctions documents and Russian media. Putin's stance on Wagner's future remains ambiguous, stating in an interview that Wagner "does not exist" legally, as there is no law governing private military organizations in Russia.

Image source: The New York Times