Wagner chief to leave Russia in deal to ease crisis

Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin leaves the headquarters of the Southern Military District amid the group's pullout from the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023. © ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO / REUTERS

The chief of the rebel Wagner mercenary force will go to Belarus and will not face charges after calling off his troops' advance on Moscow, the Russian government said, easing the country's most serious security crisis in decades.

The feud between Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia's military brass came to a violent head in the past day, with his forces capturing a key army headquarters in southern Russia on Saturday and then heading north to threaten the capital.

Within hours of Prigozhin's about-face, the Kremlin announced he would leave for Belarus and Russia would not prosecute him or Wagner's members.

People gather to bid farewell to fighters of Wagner private mercenary group, who pull out of the headquarters of the Southern Military District and return to base, in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023. REUTERS - STRINGER

It had been a dramatic day, with President Vladimir Putin warning against civil war, Moscow telling locals to stay off the streets and Kyiv revelling in the chaos engulfing its enemy.

The tide shifted suddenly when Prigozhin made the stunning announcement that his troops were "turning our columns around and going back to field camps" to avoid bloodshed in the Russian capital.

By early Sunday, Wagner had pulled fighters and equipment from Rostov-on-Don, where they had seized the military headquarters, said the regional governor.

Belarus

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said he had negotiated a truce with Prigozhin, drawing thanks from Moscow.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov later told reporters that the "criminal case against him (Prigozhin) will be dropped. He himself will go to Belarus."

A part of the Wagner private military company’s troops, who decided against participating in an armed mutiny, will be able to sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry, Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists:https://t.co/G6ST2aYMpJ pic.twitter.com/4Rvosx48vy

— TASS (@tassagency_en) June 25, 2023

Leaders of Nato member states, including those of the US, the UK, France and Germany had expressed concern that Putin's control over the nuclear-armed country could be slipping.

Moscow issued a stiff warning to the United States and allies to stay back.

"The rebellion plays into the hands of Russia's external enemies," the foreign ministry said.

(With newsagencies)