Mutiny in Russia: law enforcement agencies to continue investigation against Yevgeny Prigozhin

The criminal case against the founder of the private military group Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin is underway and under the control of the Federal Security Service (FSB). As the Kommersant media outlet reported, the legal case has been opened under article 279 «Munity» of the Russian criminal code and is being overseen by the investigation department of FSB.

The accusation of mutiny in Russia can be punished by 12 to 20 years in prison.

On June 25, Dmitry Peskov, official spokesperson for the president of Russia told journalists that the government would drop the criminal charge against Prigozhin, who was expected to move from Russia to Belarus. Peskov also said that the authorities won’t go after Wagner mercenaries who would return to their camps. They also will be able to sign an official contract with the defense ministry, according to the Kremlin’s spokesperson.

On June 24, the Wagner group entered the city of Rostov-on-Don and allegedly Voronezh with combat vehicles. At the time, Prigozhin said that his mercenaries took control of all military facilities in Rostov including the local airfield. Prigozhin threatened to launch a military march on Moscow, if Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valeriy Gerasimov refused to talk to him in person.

In a televised address to the nation, President Vladimir Putin called the Wagner rebellion a betrayal and treason and threaten to punish all who were behind the mutiny.

However, Prigizhin later said that the Wagner group would stop its march to Moscow in order to avoid violent clashes between the Russian people. The statement followed negotiations with President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus. Prigozhin said that Russian authorities wanted to disband the Wagner group.