Vladimir Putin is tightening his grip on Wagner mercenaries in an effort to prevent more mutinies. This follows Prigozhin’s death in an aircraft accident. US Intelligence and others strongly suspect the accident was in fact an assassination.
Wagner troops are currently stationed in Belarus under the invitation of Belarus. Other mercenaries are currently in the Sahel, helping secure the military governments of Niger against potential ECOWAS invasion. The Independent reports:
Vladimir Putin has ordered Wagner mercenaries to sign an oath of allegiance to the Russian state after a plane believed to be carrying their leader Yevgeny Prigozhin crashed near Moscow.
With immediate effect on Friday, Russia’s president signed the decree, published on the Kremlin website, which obliges anyone carrying out work on behalf of the military or Moscow’s war in Ukraine to swear a formal oath of allegiance to Russia.
Belarusian President Lukashenko had previously warned Prigozhin to stay within his borders. Following his coup and deal with Putin, many suspected that he would the “death of a traitor” that had befallen Putin’s other adversaries. Fox News details:
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed he had warned Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin to watch his back following his brief mutiny against the Russian military that ultimately led to his apparent demise this week.
“I told him: ‘Yevgeny, do you understand that you will doom your people and will perish yourself?’,” Lukashenko told Prigozhin, according to Belarusian state news agency BELTA.
Wagner troops are likely not to pose a direct threat to Putin. The bulk of their fighters had either returned home or signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense. Prigozhin’s death will likely deter future revolts against the regime, but will otherwise cause discontent across the country.
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