2023-08-25 19:02:22
Time.news – The Belarusian president, Aleksandr Lukashenko, said he never pledged to ensure the safety of Wagner chief Evgheni Prigozhin because he was never asked. He has, however, said he warned him about the risks to his safety.
“We talked about security twice”, reported the Minsk leader: “The first time I called him was for the negotiations during his march on Moscow. I told him: ‘Zhenia (short for Evgheni), you realize you’re going to kill people and you’re going to die too?’ In the heat of the moment he said, ‘To hell with him, I’m going to die!’
The second time, Lukashenko added, “he came to me with Dmitri Utkin (his right-hand man and military commander of the Wagner). I categorically warned them both: ‘Guys, be careful.’
The news disseminated by the Western media stating the involvement of the Kremlin in the plane crash that claimed the life of Wagner leader Evgeniy Prigozhin I am “lies and speculation“, meanwhile assured the spokesman of the Russian presidency, Dmitri Peskov.
The spokesperson said to have no information about the fate of the Wagner group after the disappearance of its leader. “As for the future, I can’t tell you anything yet, I don’t know,” he told reporters. He added that the entity does not formally exist: “Let’s not forget that there is no such entity as PMC Wagner, it does not exist de jure,” Peskov said. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly underlined the great contribution of the Wagner group to the special military operation, he reminded himself.
Putin, the paramilitaries will have to take an oath in Moscow
All those performing military duties will have to take an oath in front of the Russian state flag. This is what we read in a decree signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, reported by the Russian media. According to the document, the decree is aimed at members of volunteer formations who help the army in fulfilling its tasks and participating in a special military operation.
All employees of the Okhrana special center in the Zaporizhzhia region and other similar state-owned enterprises operating in martial law regions are also subject to the rule. All citizens involved in the defense of the territory must also take the oath.
The investigators seized the black boxes of the crashed jet
The Russian investigators have “seized the black boxes of the private flight on which Evgheni Prigozhin was travelling and continues the detailed examination at the crash scene, with the collection of important objects and documentation to establish all the circumstances”. the head of the Wagner mercenary company and his right-hand man, Dmitri Utkin, also appeared.
The Investigative Committee added that the bodies of the 10 victims were found and genetic tests are being carried out to establish their identity.
Media confirmed the death of the pilot of Prigozhin’s plane
Russian investigators have confirmed the death of the pilot of the plane on which Prigozhin was allegedly traveling. Guardina writes it quoting an informed source. However, according to the same source, the pilot’s genetic match has yet to be confirmed.
ISW, Wagner will no longer exist as an independent entity
The Wagner Group will probably no longer exist as a quasi-independent parallel military structure. This is what we read in a report of the think thank Institute for study of war. The Institute believes the deaths of the leaders of the Wagner Group Evgeny PrigozhinDmitry Utkin e Valery Chekalov they will prevent to the organization of resist the efforts of the Kremlin and the Russian Defense Ministry Of “weakensubsuming and destroying theorganization” in the aftermath of the armed rebellion of 24 June.
Calling death in a plane crash an “almost certain assassination,” the ISW reports that “the elimination of Wagner’s leadership ends any remaining means Wagner had to operate independently of the Russian Defense Ministry.” ISW speculates that Putin’s comment on Prigozhin’s death “implies that Prigozhin did Putin’s bidding recently and during their acquaintance”, but “indicates that Prigozhin’s loyalty over the years has not been enough to compensate for the ‘grave mistake” of launching a rebellion against the Russian military leadership”.
In previous assessments the ISW had theorized that Prigozhin did not intend to oust Putin but rather wanted to force Putin to fire key members of Russia’s military leadership. The ISW also noted that Wagner’s Council of Commanders has not yet issued a public statement following the downing of Prigozhin’s plane.
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