E-Paper
Vladimir Putin visits Rostov-on-Don headquarters where Wagner mutiny began
The Kremlin said Vladimir Putin was briefed by Valery Gerasimov, head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
President Vladimir Putin traveled to the headquarters of Russia’s Southern Military District in Rostov-on-Don, near the Ukrainian border, his first known visit there since June’s attempted mutiny by the Wagner mercenary group.
The visit was announced Saturday in a brief statement on the Kremlin website. It’s unclear when Putin visited or for how long.
The Kremlin said Putin was briefed by Valery Gerasimov, head of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, as well as commanders and other senior officers. Russia’s defense ministry hasn’t commented separately.
Read more: Canada orders 35,000 people to evacuate amid British Columbia wildfires
A video shown on Russian television showed Putin climbing out of a black SUV, greeting Gerasimov and Sergei Rudskoy, chief of the General Staff’s main operational directorate, and presiding over a briefing. The visit appeared to have taken place at night. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu wasn’t present.
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was among those present during the June 24 uprising that started at the southern headquarters but left after the attempted mutiny was halted. Forces under Prigozhin’s command also rolled to within about 200 kilometers (124 miles) of Moscow.
Prigozhin repeatedly accused Gerasimov and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu of mishandling the war, and demanded their resignations.
