Russian news agencies reported on Tuesday that the country’s FSB security service has dropped its criminal case against the Wagner mercenary group following their armed mutiny, which was short-lived.
According to the sources, the case was dismissed because “the participants had ceased actions directly aimed at committing the crime”. In a resolution reached on Saturday, the Kremlin announced that the fighters involved in the mutiny would not face prosecution and could return to their base.
Despite President Vladimir Putin previously labeling them as traitors, the Kremlin decided not to prosecute Prigozhin and his fighters after he quelled the revolt on Saturday.
The charge of armed mutiny carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The decision to spare Prigozhin from prosecution stands in stark contrast to the treatment of individuals participating in anti-government protests, many of whom have received lengthy prison sentences and are incarcerated in harsh penal colonies.
The whereabouts of Mr. Prigozhin remained unknown. The Kremlin had previously stated that Prigozhin would be sent into exile in neighboring Belarus, but neither he nor the Belarusian authorities have confirmed this information.
According to Belaruski Hajun, an independent Belarusian military monitoring project, a business jet believed to be used by Mr. Prigozhin landed near Minsk on Tuesday morning.
On Monday night, President Putin once again criticized the organizers of the rebellion, labeling them as traitors who played into the hands of Ukraine’s government and its allies.
Additionally, the Wagner group is preparing to hand over heavy military equipment to the Russian Defence Ministry, as reported by RIA news agency, citing the Ministry’s statement.
In an unprecedented challenge to President Putin’s authority, the Wagner fighters advanced towards Moscow on Saturday, demanding the dismissal of Russia’s military leadership due to their perceived mishandling of the war in Ukraine.
They subsequently terminated their rebellion abruptly and returned to their base following a agreement facilitated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
