Wagner’s passage of Putin: he ordered the oath of allegiance
In Russia, the commotion caused by the death of Wagner’s leader, Yevgeny Prigojin, who two months ago started an uprising against the Kremlin with the crash of his plane, continues.
After the plane carrying Prigojin and other Wagner executives crashed, all eyes turned to President Vladimir Putin, who said: “We will punish traitors” during the uprising two months ago.
While the Russian leader claimed that Prigokhin “was a complex but talented man and had made serious mistakes in his life,” the Kremlin called allegations that the plane was shot down by Russia a “big lie.”
The death of Prigojin, once known as “Putin’s cook”, did not come as a surprise to some after the June uprising, but different claims are controversial.
Images of Wagner warriors swearing revenge after Prigojin’s death, on the other hand, raised the possibility of a new uprising in Russia. As the debate continues, Putin signed a remarkable decree yesterday instructing Wagner fighters to “swear allegiance” to Russia.
The decree, posted on the Kremlin’s website, stipulates that those fighting in Wagner’s ranks will take an official oath and fully obey the orders of commanders.
According to Russian media, the move is aimed at increasing state control over Wagner, who played a pivotal role in the war in Ukraine but whose fate was uncertain with the June uprising.