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Intelligence chief: The Wagner group will no longer take part in hostilities in Ukraine
, 11:57, 30.06.2023
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
The most important consequence of the revolt of the Wagner Group mercenaries for Ukraine is the discredit of the Russian command, assessed the head of Ukrainian intelligence Kyrylo Budanov.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of intelligence. His successes cause fear among Russians
The most important consequence of the revolt of the Wagner Group mercenaries for Ukraine is the discredit of the Russian command, assessed the head of Ukrainian intelligence Kyrylo Budanov. In addition, he noted, Yevginij Prigozhin's formation will no longer fight on Ukrainian territory.
“We are dealing with a disgrace of the Russian command. The myth of the steadfastness of the Russian regime has been destroyed once again,” Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukrainian intelligence, said on Thursday.
“What's more, Wagner's private army will no longer take part in military operations in Ukraine. And this is the most effective unit of the Russian army, which knew how to achieve success at all costs,” he added.
The revolt of the Wagner Group and the march on Moscow
On the evening of June 23, the leader of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced that the regular Russian army had attacked his troops and that 25,000 mercenaries under his command were leaving to “restore justice”. The next day, his men took control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don and Voronezh and marched on Moscow, while the Russian capital was preparing to defend itself, Ukrainska Pravda recalled.
In an unannounced emergency speech, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Prigozhin's actions to be “treason” and “revolt”. According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Russian dictator urgently flew from Moscow to Valdai, where one of his residences is located. On the evening of June 24, after talking to Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenko, Prigozhin ordered a retreat. The criminal case against Prigozhin was to be discontinued, and he himself was to leave for Belarus, which was confirmed by the country's highest authorities.
Speculations abound in Russian sources about “major purges” in the command structures of the army, which would be a consequence of Prigozhin's rebellion. There was unofficial information about the arrest of General Sergei Surovikin, considered close to Prigozhin, as well as changes in the command at the front in Ukraine and the punishment of military personnel who did not react decisively enough to the mutiny.
