Following President Vladimir Putin’s remarks stating that the private mercenary group Wagner lacks a legal basis due to the absence of relevant legislation regarding private military companies in Russia, the Kremlin has emphasized the need to carefully examine the status of such entities.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the complexity surrounding companies like Wagner and emphasized the necessity for further study. When questioned about the possibility of new legislation concerning the status of private military companies, Peskov indicated that the matter would be subject to consideration.
Wagner has played a significant role in the Ukraine conflict, with its fighters engaging in some of the most intense battles on behalf of Russia. However, uncertainty looms over the group and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, since the recent mutiny in which Wagner temporarily seized control of a southern city and advanced towards Moscow.
In a recent statement, the defense ministry announced that Wagner was in the process of transferring its weapons to the regular army, as part of an agreement with the Kremlin to end the mutiny.
President Putin revealed to Kommersant newspaper that he had offered Wagner mercenaries the opportunity to continue fighting for Russia during a meeting held five days after the mutiny. However, he suggested that a different commander replace Prigozhin.
According to the terms of the agreement that concluded the mutiny on June 23-24, Prigozhin was expected to go into exile in Belarus, a close ally of Russia. Nevertheless, he has not made any public appearances since June 24, and his current whereabouts remain unknown.