Russia Endeavors to Defuse Wagner Rebellion

On Sunday, Russia appears to have stabilized the situation after the country's Wagner private military group was accused of attempting to launch an armed rebellion.

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A compromise was reached between Moscow and Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner group, through the mediation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on late Saturday.

The incident did not cause a major disorder in Russian society and people's life in Moscow and beyond was barely affected.

CHARGE OF ARMED MUTINY

In a surprise move on early Saturday, the Russian Federal Security Service announced that a criminal case was initiated against Prigozhin for incitement to armed insurrection.

This came after several audio recordings were posted on Prigozhin's Telegram channel where he claimed that his units had allegedly come under attack, accusing Russia's military leadership of orchestrating the strikes.

Later, Russia's National Anti-terrorism Committee said that a counter-terrorist operation regime was introduced in Moscow and the Voronezh region to prevent possible terrorist acts.

In a statement to Wagner troops, the Russian Defense Ministry said: "You were tricked into Prigozhin's criminal adventure and participation in an armed rebellion."

"We ask you to be prudent and get in touch with representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry or law enforcement agencies as soon as possible. We guarantee everyone's safety," the ministry stressed.

The headquarters of the Wagner group located in Russia's second-largest city of St. Petersburg was cordoned off by security forces. Previously, the Wagner group pioneered a prolonged campaign to seize Bakhmut City that was hotly contested with Ukrainian forces.

Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin openly congratulated the Wagner assault detachments on the triumph in Artyomovsk, the Russian name of Bakhmut.

"TOUGH" RESPONSE

In a televised address to the nation on Saturday, Putin ordered the Russian Armed Forces to neutralize those who organized the armed mutiny.

"Any actions that split our nation are essentially a betrayal of our people, of our comrades-in-arms who are now fighting at the front line. This is a stab in the back of our country and our people," he said.

"Any internal turmoil is a deadly threat to our statehood, to us as a nation. This is a blow to Russia, to our people. And our actions to protect the motherland from such a threat will be tough," Putin added.

"All those who deliberately embarked on the path of betrayal, who prepared an armed rebellion, who embarked on the path of blackmail and terrorist methods, will suffer inevitable punishment and answer both before the law and before our people," he noted.

"I urge those who are being dragged into this crime not to make a fatal and tragic mistake, but to make the only right choice -- to stop participating in criminal acts," Putin stressed.

The Russian leader had phone conversations with Lukashenko, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the incident. 

SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATION

In response to the rebellion charge, Prigozhin said on Telegram: "We are patriots of our motherland." He accepted Lukashenko's proposal to stop the advance of the Wagner troops and de-escalate the situation.

On Saturday morning, Putin informed his Belarusian counterpart of the situation in southern Russia regarding the Wagner group, and the heads of state agreed on joint actions.

Belarus held talks with Prigozhin. Negotiations lasted throughout the day. As a result, they came to an agreement on the inadmissibility of unleashing a bloody massacre on the Russian territory.

Prigozhin accepted Lukashenko's proposal to stop the movement of the Wagner troops and take further steps to de-escalate tensions.

There was reportedly an acceptable option on the table for resolving the situation, with security guarantees for the Wagner fighters. Then, Prigozhin said that his fighters were going back to their field camps.

The criminal case against Prigozhin will be dropped and he will go to Belarus, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters late Saturday, without specifying what exactly Prigozhin will do in the former Soviet republic.

He added that Lukashenko has been personally acquainted with Prigozhin for about 20 years and "this was his personal proposal agreed with Putin."

"There was a higher goal to avoid bloodshed, to avoid internal confrontation, to avoid clashes with unpredictable results. It was for the sake of these goals that Lukashenko's mediation efforts were made and President Putin made the appropriate decision," Peskov said.

According to the official, the guarantee that Prigozhin will be able to leave for Belarus was the word of the Russian president. The incident with the Wagner group will not affect the course of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, which will continue, he added.

GENERAL TRANQUILITY

Reporters felt a sense of calmness in several Russian cities, although temporary restrictions and verification measures were put in place. Moscow's Red Square was closed the whole Saturday, but tourists and business people were still allowed outside the police line.

There were fewer people and less traffic in downtown Moscow, while the three major airports in the city were all operating normally. 

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that previously announced mass events were canceled, but he denied reports of traffic closures at the entrances and exits of the Russian capital. To minimize risks, he declared Monday a non-working day.

In the city of Saint Petersburg, neighborhoods near the Wagner headquarters remained calm.