WSJ: The Kremlin is taking control of the PMС “Wagner” activities in Syria, Mali and the CAR

The Russian authorities want to take control of the activities of the PMC "Wagner" mercenaries abroad after the rebellion of Yevgeny Prigozhin in Russia.

The Wall Street Journal writes about it.

The newspaper learned that a few hours after Prigozhinʼs "justice march" was canceled, Deputy Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry Serhiy Vershinin flew to Damascus to tell Syrian President Bashar Assad that the PMC "Wagner" was ceasing independent actions in the country. The WSJʼs source says the mercenaries were ordered to the Russian base in Latakia, and they did.

Representatives of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs also spoke with the leader of the Central African Republic, Fosten-Arkanzh Touadera, whose personal security is taken care of by the "Wagnerians". The Russians assured him that the mutiny would in no way affect the work of the PMC "Wagner" in the CAR.

Similarly, representatives of the Russian authorities convinced Mali that the situation with Prigozhin would not change anything for the country.

At the same time, WSJ journalists draw attention to the fact that Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations planes flew from Syria to Mali and back after the rebellion. Most likely, the flights concerned the PMC "Wagner".

• On the evening of June 23, the founder of the Russian PMC Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin accused the Russian military of hitting the mercenary rear camp, "a huge number of fighters died." The command for the destruction of the PMC "Wagner" was allegedly given by Chief of the General Staff Valeriy Gerasimov after a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Prigozhin announced the beginning of the "march of justice", took control of Rostovʼs military facilities, including the airfield, and the "Wagnerians" began to move towards Moscow.
• On the evening of June 24, the self-proclaimed president of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko agreed with Prigozhin "about the inadmissibility of unleashing a bloody massacre on the territory of Russia." Then Prigozhin informed that they were disbanding the columns and returning to the field camps. After that, it became known that Prigozhin would go to Belarus (Ukraine was assured that there was no threat of an attack by the "Wagnerians" from the north).
• On June 26, Yevgeny Prigozhin said that he started the mutiny in Russia because the local authorities wanted to liquidate the PMC from July 1 and transfer the fighters to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
• According to CNN, US intelligence officials believe that Prigozhin had long been planning to seriously challenge the Russian military leadership, but what his ultimate goal was is unknown. Presumably, Prigozhin also informed about his plans to the deputy commander of the Russian army Serhiy Surovikin, which was previously reported by The New York Times newspaper.