Putin: "Well, PMC “Wagner” does not exist!"

Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a visit to the exhibition of quantum achievements in the World Trade Center, talked to reporters. Answering a question from a Kommersant special correspondent, he spoke about the details of the meeting with Wagner PMC fighters in the Kremlin 5 days after the mutiny, on June 29.

After that meeting, which lasted 3 hours and about which told our publication, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said July 10:

“The only thing we can say is that the president gave an assessment of the company’s actions at the front during the NWO, and also gave his assessment of the events of June 24th. Putin listened to the explanations of the commanders and offered them further options for employment and further employment.

Special correspondent for Kommersant Andrey Kolesnikov reveals some details of the meeting of the president with representatives PMC “Wagner” in a report with Vladimir Putin. Further, without cuts, the questions of the correspondent and the answers of the president.

Question. I won’t forgive myself if I don’t ask one more question. There are many versions of why you met with PMC Wagner on June 29th. At the NATO summit, this was actively discussed, they have their own version, I, for example, have my own … And what version do you have?

Answer. What version can I have? I don’t have a version. I have what actually happened. It may be your version or NATO’s version.

Question. Tell me then what really happened.

Answer. What actually happened? Everything is very simple and obvious for the Russian society. Ordinary Wagner fighters fought with dignity, so … The fact that they were drawn into these events is regrettable … I will say this very carefully … On the one hand, at a meeting with them, I gave an assessment that they did on the battlefield, and on the other hand, what they did in course of events June 24. Third, he showed possible options for the further passage of their service, including combat use. That’s all. And they finished in three hours.

Question. Is it possible to assume that PMC “Wagner” will remain as a combat unit?

Answer. Well, PMC “Wagner” does not exist! We don’t have a law on private military organizations! It just doesn’t exist! There is no such entity. There is a group, but legally does not exist! This is a separate issue related to real legalization. But this is a question that should be discussed in the State Duma, in the government. Difficult question.

Later, the President of the Russian Federation told a special correspondent of Kommersant about another detail of that meeting, when he made an offer to the Wagnerites (there were 35 of them at the meeting). He offered them several employment options, including under the guidance of their immediate commander with the call sign Seda. That is, the man under whose command the Wagner fighters have served for the last 16 months. Putin noted:

“They could all gather in one place and continue to serve. And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all this time. Many nodded when I said this. And Prigozhin, who was sitting in front and did not see this, he said, after listening: “No, the guys do not agree with such a decision.”

The full version of the report is available Here.

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