Peskov: Putin holds a meeting with the heads of law enforcement agencies

Russian President Vladimir Putin is holding a meeting with the heads of law enforcement agencies, which is also attended by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, RIA Novosti reported with reference to the press secretary of the head of state Dmitry Peskov.

“After the address, Vladimir Putin is currently holding a working meeting with the participation of Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov, Kremlin chief of staff Anton Vaino, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, FSB director Alexander Bortnikov, head of the National Guard Viktor Zolotov, head of the FSO Dmitry Kochnev and the head of the investigative committee, Alexander Bastrykin,” Peskov said.

Earlier today, the President addressed the citizens of Russia following the results of the military mutiny. He thanked them for their endurance, and also said that the fighters and commanders of the Wagner group would be able to conclude contracts with the Armed Forces or other special services, or, if they decide to do so, leave for Belarus. The head of state repeated the thesis from his June 24 address that the organizers of the rebellion had betrayed their people and their country, and added that Russia’s enemies wanted just such an outcome – fratricide. Putin thanked the servicemen, law enforcement officers, special services “who got in the way of the rebels”, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko for help in settling and the Wagner fighters who “stopped at the last line.” He also emphasized the self-sacrifice of the dead pilots.

On the evening of June 23, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner PMC, accused the Ministry of Defense of attacking the company’s rear camps. The military department denied the information and called it a provocation. The FSB opened a criminal case against Prigozhin on armed rebellion. On June 24, Wagner took control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don and blocked the city, and also sent fighters towards Moscow.

On the evening of June 24, after negotiations with Lukashenka, Prigozhin announced that he had decided to stop the movement towards Moscow and return to the rear camps of PMCs. After that, the Kremlin said that an agreement had been reached that the criminal case against Prigozhin would be dropped, and he himself would move to Belarus.