According to a statement by the Kremlin reported by CNN, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting with former Wagner commander Andrey Troshev, who is now collaborating with the Defence Ministry.

During their meeting, Putin assigned Troshev the task of forming volunteer units to undertake combat missions for Russia in Ukraine. He expressed his desire to discuss "social guarantees" for those who had fought to defend the fatherland, as per a partial transcript of the meeting.

As reported by CNN this meeting followed a previous meeting between Putin and Troshev, during which they discussed the formation of volunteer combat units for action in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov cited by Russian state news agency RIA Novosti, confirmed that Troshev "is already working with the defense ministry."

The New York Times reported that a video clip of the meeting, published by the Kremlin, revealed Putin assigning the former chief of staff, Troshev, the task of creating volunteer units for combat missions related to Russia's involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.

While not explicitly mentioning the Wagner group by name, Putin indicated that Troshev had previously fought within such a unit for over a year and therefore possessed the necessary expertise.

Wagner fighters, recruited from Russian prisons, had previously operated with considerable autonomy until June when the Defence Ministry moved to integrate them into the broader military structure. This move was seen as diminishing the influence of the group's former leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, and may have contributed to his failed mutiny against Russia's military leadership.

Since the mutiny and Prigozhin's death in August, the future of the Wagner group has been uncertain. During his meeting with Troshev, Putin conveyed that state-sponsored support measures for veterans of the fight in Ukraine would be extended to members of volunteer groups who participated in the conflict, as reported by The New York Times.

Andrey Troshev, a retired Russian colonel and a founding member and executive director of the Wagner Group has been subject to sanctions imposed by the European Union and France, according to CNN. Troshev is a military veteran with experience in wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya, and he goes by the call sign "Sedoi," meaning "Gray-haired." European and UK sanctions documents highlight his significant role in Bashar al-Assad's war efforts and his involvement in repressing the civilian population in Syria.

In June, Putin suggested that Troshev take command of the private military group following the failed Wagner rebellion. Security experts had anticipated that the Kremlin would work to further integrate the group into the Russian military following the failed mutiny. Ukrainian officials reported that Wagner fighters had returned to the eastern front, this time functioning as individuals under the Russian Defense Ministry.

Image source: ANI