The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenkohas explained that he convinced the Russian president, Vladimir Putinthat he did not “annihilate” the head of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhinin response to what the Kremlin described as a riot intended to push Russia towards a civil war.
Putin initially vowed to crush the mutiny, comparing it to the turmoil that led to the 1917 revolution and then civil war, but a deal was struck hours later to allow Prigozhin and some of his fighters to go to Belarus. The head of the group of mercenaries has been in this country since Tuesday, as confirmed by Lukashenko himself.
The Belarusian president revealed Putin’s comment during a meeting with army officials and journalists on Tuesday, according to the country’s state media. “I understood that a brutal decision had been made (and it was the background of Putin’s speech) to annihilate” the rioters, he said. “I suggested to Putin not to rush. ‘Come on,’ I said, ‘Let’s talk to Prigozhin, to his commanders.’ To which he said: ‘Hey, Sasha, it’s useless. He doesn’t even pick up the phone, he doesn’t want to talk with anyone,'” he added.
Putin used the same verb in 1999 about Chechen militants, vowing to “annihilate them on the dunghill,” a comment widely cited to define his stern personality.
rare revelation
There has been no comment from Moscow on Lukashenko’s remarks, which provide a rare glimpse into talks inside the Kremlin as Russia, by Putin’s own account, headed toward turmoil not seen for decades.
Lukashenko, an old acquaintance of Prigozhin and a close ally of Putin, said he had advised the Russian president to think “beyond our own noses” and that Prigozhin’s removal could lead to a widespread revolt of his fighters.
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The Belarusian leader also said his own army could benefit from the experience of Wagner’s troops who, according to an agreement reached with the Kremlin, are now free to move to Belarus. “This is the most trained unit in the army,” Lukashenko said. “Who will argue this? My military also understands this, and we don’t have such people in Belarus.”
“People don’t understand that we are approaching this in a pragmatic way… They (Wagner) have been through it, they will tell us about weaponry: what worked well, what worked badly,” Lukashenko added to the military.