Prigozhin appears for the first time at the summit that Putin also attends
The leader of the mercenary group Wagner Prigozhin who staged a one-day rebellion in Russia last month, appeared at the Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg. Russian President Putin also delivered a speech at the summit. Prigojin's appearance at the forum attended by Putin after the coup attempt drew attention.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Russian private security company Wagner, allegedly met with African officials in St. Petersburg, where the Russia-Africa Summit was held. Russian President Vladimir Putin also attended the summit in St. Petersburg. In the photo posted on social media by Dmitry Sytiy, the director of the "Russian House" in the Central African Republic, Prigozhin is seen shaking hands with an official from the Central African Republic in St. Petersburg.
The Russia-Africa Summit, which started today in St. Petersburg with the participation of many officials from Africa, will end tomorrow.
Prigozhin traveled to Belarus after his rebellion against Russian rule on June 24, and was last seen on July 17 giving a speech to Wagner fighters in Belarus.
In his speech here, Prigozhin said that after their training and increased experience, the Wagner mercenary fighters would go on a new path to Africa.
WHAT HAPPENED?
On June 23, Prigozhin accused the Russian army of attacking Wagner and threatened to retaliate, leaving Ukraine with his fighters and entering the border region of Rostov. In response, the Federal Security Service (FSB) opened a criminal case on charges of "armed rebellion".
Putin described Wagner's rebellion as "treason". Prigozhin announced that the Wagner troops would go to Moscow, and the Kremlin administration increased security measures in many parts of the country.
On June 24, it was reported that Yevgeny Prigojin accepted Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko's proposal to reduce tensions in Russia. Prigozhin stated that they understood their responsibility for the spilling of Russian blood and would turn back their convoy and return to their field camps according to the plan. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the criminal case against Prigozhin would be closed and that the "rebel leader" would go to Belarus.
Source: Anadolu Agency
