More critically, the video identified Gerasimov in his other current post as the commander of Russia's so-called special military operation in Ukraine. MAYNES: So in a video released by the Defense Ministry, we see Gerasimov at a base in uniform giving orders and overseeing airstrikes against enemy targets in Ukraine, supposedly on Sunday. VALERY GERASIMOV: (Non-English language spoken). He hadn't been seen in public since the June 24 uprising, and yet suddenly he's back.
So he's the number two at the defense ministry. You know, the general in question is chief of general staff, Valery Gerasimov. Meanwhile, though, a missing general also reappeared today. And yet the terms of that deal over the past few days have come into question, particularly after the leader of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, told reporters last week that Prigozhin was now back in Russia and that the Wagner fighters had yet to relocate to Belarus as initially agreed.įLORIDO: So a lot of players, a lot of intrigue, a lot that is.įLORIDO. Putin also touted his own role in an amnesty deal that allowed Prigozhin and the rebels exile in neighboring Belarus, saying it prevented bloodshed and civil war. You know, in the wake of the rebellion, Putin presented the failed uprising as a victory for law and order against the Wagner threat. MAYNES: Well, Peskov didn't provide any details, but let's take a look at what we do know so far. And Peskov said Putin then discussed new employment options for Wagner.įLORIDO: Did the Kremlin offer any details on what that might mean? In turn, Wagner commanders explained why they had done what they'd done, but assured the Kremlin leader they remained loyal and were ready to continue fighting for Russia. And during the meeting, President Putin gave his assessment of Wagner's actions. According to Peskov, the meeting took place in the Kremlin and lasted nearly three hours. MAYNES: In his call with the reporters today, spokesman Dmitry Peskov, heard here, acknowledged that President Vladimir Putin hosted Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and nearly three dozen of his mercenary commanders for talks in Moscow late last month - June 29, to be exact. And yet that turns out apparently not to be entirely true.ĭMITRY PESKOV: (Non-English language spoken). The press didn't know where he was, and the Kremlin basically said the same. MAYNES: Well, for weeks, there's been intense speculation over Prigozhin's whereabouts. Hi.įLORIDO: So what do we know about this meeting between Putin and Wagner's leadership? To break it down for us, we're joined by NPR's Charles Maynes in Moscow. Meanwhile, one of those generals has suddenly resurfaced for the first time since the rebellion. The Kremlin now says President Vladimir Putin met with Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and his mercenaries just days after they led a mutiny against Putin's top generals. There are more twists in the story of last month's failed Wagner uprising in Russia.
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