With Russia revolt over, mercenaries’ future and direction of Ukraine war remain uncertain

Neither Putin nor Wagner chief Prigozhin has been heard from since a deal, brokered by Belarus’ president, was announced on Saturday night

‘We have all sorts of new questions that Putin is going to have to address in the weeks and months ahead,’ said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken

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Ukrainian soldiers fire toward a Russian position in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine. Photo: AP

Published: 6:31am, 26 Jun 2023Updated: 11:39am, 26 Jun 2023

Russian government troops withdrew from the streets of Moscow on Sunday and the rebellious mercenary soldiers who had occupied other cities were gone, but the short-lived revolt has weakened Russian President Vladimir Putin just as his forces are facing a fierce counteroffensive in Ukraine.

The aborted march on the capital by Yevgeny Prigozhin and his Wagner troops, some of the most effective fighters in Ukraine, also left their fate uncertain.

Under terms of the agreement that ended the crisis, Prigozhin will go into exile in Belarus but will not face prosecution. Neither Putin nor Prigozhin has been heard from since the deal, brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, was announced on Saturday night.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the weekend’s events as “extraordinary,” recalling that 16 months ago Putin appeared poised to seize the capital of Ukraine and now he has had to defend Moscow from forces led by his one-time protégé.

“I think we’ve seen more cracks emerge in the Russian facade,” Blinken said on NBC’s Meet the Press programme.

“It is too soon to tell exactly where they go and when they get there, but certainly we have all sorts of new questions that Putin is going to have to address in the weeks and months ahead.”