Questions arose this Sunday regarding the level of control Russian President Vladimir Putin has maintained over power after the withdrawal of the Wagner private military group from the city of Rostov in southern Russia and the halt of its advance towards Moscow, according to an agreement that ended an unprecedented challenge to Putin’s authority. Under the agreement, mediated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Wagner fighters returned to their bases late last night in exchange for guarantees of their safety, while their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is set to move to Belarus, thereby concluding a brief rebellion.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated that the turmoil in Russia is likely not over and could last weeks or months. The Italian foreign minister stated that this rebellion shattered the "myth" of Russia's unity. Putin has not made any public statements since the agreement was reached to defuse the crisis, which raised major questions about the strength of his grip on a country he has ruled with an iron fist for over two decades.
Russian state television aired excerpts from an interview in which Putin claimed to prioritize the conflict in Ukraine and stated he is in constant contact with the Ministry of Defense. However, the interview appeared to have been recorded before the rebellion, as he made no reference to the events that occurred on Saturday. The state television further noted that Putin would attend a meeting of the Russian Security Council in a few days without providing additional details. The Belarusian news agency Belta reported that Lukashenko spoke by phone with Putin on Sunday morning after both leaders had talked at least twice the previous day.
Prigozhin, who is 62 years old and a former ally of Putin, was seen leaving the military headquarters in the Rostov region, hundreds of miles south of Moscow, late Saturday in an SUV, but his current whereabouts remain unclear. Prigozhin, whose group has engaged in fierce battles in the ongoing 16-month war in Ukraine, stated that his decision to move towards Moscow was aimed at ousting corrupt and incompetent Russian leaders whom he blames for the failures in the war.
### Visible Cracks
Western leaders have expressed concern about the unrest in Russia, which possesses the largest nuclear arsenal in the world. Blinken stated on NBC's "Meet the Press" that "we see more cracks in Russia. It is too early to know what that will lead to or when. But we certainly have all kinds of new questions that Putin will need to find answers to in the coming weeks or months." He added, "Our focus remains relentlessly and determinedly on Ukraine to ensure it has what it needs to defend itself and reclaim territory occupied by Russia."
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov discussed the unrest in Russia in a phone call with his U.S. counterpart, Lloyd Austin, on Sunday, describing the Russian authorities as "weak," suggesting that things "are moving in the right direction." Reznikov tweeted, "We see that the Russian authorities have become weak, and the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine is the best option for the Kremlin."
China, a key ally of Putin, initially did not publicly address the unrest but eventually stated after talks with a senior Russian diplomat in China on Sunday that Beijing supports Russia's maintenance of its national stability. Following the capture of Rostov, a key supply hub for invasion operations, Wagner fighters swiftly advanced north on Saturday in what Prigozhin termed "the march for justice." Footage showed fighters relocating tanks and armored trucks and breaking through barriers set up to prevent them before reaching their withdrawal agreement.
Social media footage from Rostov during the night showed Wagner forces withdrawing from the city in a convoy of armored vehicles, tanks, and buses, accompanied by chants of "Wagner" and gunfire from residents expressing their joy. Reuters was able to verify the location of the videos, but not their timestamp. A woman was heard saying, "Take care of yourselves." Support for the brief Wagner rebellion was surprising in a country with little tolerance for public criticism of Putin and his rule. The overall mood in the streets of Rostov this Sunday was one of relief.
