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June 28, 2023

Belarusian President Says He Convinced Wagner Chief to Call Off Mutiny in Russia
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Belarus's leader says he convinced the head of Russia's Wagner Group to
call off a mutiny last weekend that saw heavily armed mercenaries
advance to within 120 miles of Moscow. President Alexander Lukashenko
said that during a weekend phone call, Russian President Vladimir Putin
promised to "wipe out" Wagner's forces and was considering killing
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin. Lukashenko said he later relayed Putin's
comments to Prigozhin in a separate call.

President Alexander Lukashenko: "He says, 'But we want justice! They
want to strangle us! We will march on Moscow!' And I say, 'Halfway
there, they will squash you like a bug.'"

U.S. intelligence officials have told The New York Times that senior
Russian General Sergey Surovikin had advance knowledge of Prigozhin's
plans to rebel against Russia's military leadership. The Times reports
the officials are trying to learn if the general helped plan Prigozhin's
mutiny. On Tuesday, Russia's embattled Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu -
whom Prigozhin has assailed for mismanaging Russia's war in Ukraine -
appeared publicly as President Putin led a Moscow ceremony honoring
Russian soldiers and police for their actions during the mutiny.


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