Despite his revolt, the mercenary chief will continue be a thorn in the Kremlin’s side unless he retires quietly to Belarus
The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Saturday that the Wagner head had agreed to leave Russia for Belarus as part of a deal to end his armed revolt, while charges against him for organising the rebellion would be dropped. Peskov added that Vladimir Putin and the Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko had guaranteed Prigozhin’s personal safety.
The warlord’s current whereabouts is unknown. He was last seen leaving the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don late on Saturday to a rapturous reception, with crowds of men gathering around him.
In an audio message shortly before his departure from the city, Prigozhin made no mention of an exile to Belarus, instead saying that he had ordered his troops back to their field camps in Russian-occupied areas of eastern Ukraine, where they have been fighting alongside Russian regular soldiers.
Prigozhin has since been unusually silent, given his frequent use of social media. Many questions regarding his future remain unanswered, not least his level of freedom and direct security, which may depend on what he does in Belarus.
The authority and self-image of Putin have sustained lasting damage as a result of the revolt, and Prigozhin’s continued public presence could further undermine the Kremlin’s credibility. But Prigozhin is known to be a ruthless and ambitious figure and some observers questioned whether he will settle for an early retirement in Belarus.
When Prigozhin announced his revolt on Friday evening, he said he commanded a force of 25,000 troops.
