Kremlin not closing criminal case against Prigozhin over rebellion

The Russian authorities have not closed the criminal case against Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC), and the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) is continuing to investigate the case of rebellion.

Source: Russian newspaper Kommersant

Quote: "As of the morning of 26 June, the criminal case on organising an armed rebellion (Article 279 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation), the main defendant in which was Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, has not been closed; it is still being investigated by an FSB investigator ."

Details: The case against Prigozhin was initiated on 23 June, and the discontinuation of the prosecution was announced after talks with him by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko.

However, a source in the supervisory agency said that the decision to initiate criminal proceedings has not yet been cancelled and that the investigation into the rebellion continues. According to the source, too little time has passed to make a different decision.

For reference: According to Russian pro-war media and Telegram channels, between 13 and 20 people were killed as a result of the Wagnerites’ rebellion. 

The Russian army also suffered losses in equipment: according to Vazhnye Istorii (Important Stories), a Russian media outlet, these include three Mi-8 electronic warfare helicopters, one transport Mi-8 helicopter, two attack helicopters (Ka-52 and Mi-35M), as well as an Il-22M command post aircraft and two armoured vehicles (KamAZ and Tigr). The Wagner PMC lost two UAZs, one KamAZ and a VPK-Ural armoured vehicle.

At the same time, according to the Russian service of Radio Liberty, citing estimates by the Dutch Oryx project, the Wagnerites shot down an Il-22M aircraft and six Russian army helicopters during the mutiny.

Background:

• On the evening of 23 June, the leader of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said that the Russian regular army had launched a missile attack on the mercenaries' rear camps. As a result, 25,000 of Prigozhin's mercenaries were allegedly going to "restore justice".
• On the morning of 24 June, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Head of the Wagner Private Military Group (PMC), claimed that he had taken control of the military facilities of Rostov-on-Don, including an airfield, and that his soldiers had already shot down three Russian helicopters; he said that they were "heading for Moscow". Wagner PMC mercenaries seized military facilities in the Russian city of Voronezh.
• In an emergency address, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia was "fighting for survival" and that there were attempts to "organise a coup" in the country.
• A criminal case was opened against Prigozhin for "organising an armed rebellion". Article 279 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, under which he is being charged, provides for between 12 and 20 years’ imprisonment.
• The Russian Presidential Administration (AP) feared that within a few hours, Evgeny Prigozhin's Wagnerians could be near Moscow and fighting would break out near the capital. According to Ukrainian intelligence, Putin urgently left Moscow for Valdai. A convoy of the Wagner Group was spotted 400 km from Moscow.

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