Head of military intelligence (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, told Ukrainska Pravda on June 29 that Wagner Group mercenaries will no longer fight on the territory of Ukraine.
"The private military company (PMC) Wagner will no longer take part in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine. And this is the most effective unit of the Russian Federation that knew how to achieve success at any cost," Budanov said.
The intelligence chief noted that some Wagner contractors are still stationed in the south of Ukraine, as well as at their base in eastern Luhansk Oblast, set up in 2014, but are not taking part in hostilities.
Budanov added that the Wagner rebellion destroyed the "myth of unwavering Russian regime."
The Wagner Group's founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, launched an armed rebellion against the Russian government on June 23. His mercenaries occupied the city of Rostov and marched to within 200 kilometers of Moscow, only to abruptly end the insurrection less than 24 hours later, on June 24.
After a deal between the Kremlin and Prigozhin, allegedly brokered by Belarus' dictator Aleksander Lukashenko, Russian officials said that the Wagner founder and his contract soldiers would be allowed to leave for Belarus. Russian dictator Vladimir Putin said that the mercenaries would also have an option of signing a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
