Equipment, weapons, ammunition
According to the plan, the Russian Armed Forces completes the purchase of weapons and military equipment from the Wagner PMC units. reported Press service of the Ministry of Defense of Russia on the Telegram channel.
“In accordance with the plan, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation is completing the procurement of weapons and military equipment from the units of the Wagner Group,” the statement said.
As noted in the defense department, PMC has already transferred 2,000 pieces of equipment and weapons, 20,000 small arms and 2.5 thousand tons of various ammunition. Among the heavy weapons transferred, T-90, T-80, T-72B3 tanks, Grad and Uragan multiple launch rocket systems, Pantsir anti-aircraft missile and artillery systems, Gvozdika and Akatsia self-propelled artillery mounts, “Hyacinth”, ” Tulip”, howitzer and anti-tank guns, mortar systems, multipurpose armored tractors, armored personnel carriers. Dozens of weapons were never used in combat.
June 24 rebellion
According to the statement made by the Ministry, in order not to damage the asphalt on the roads, heavy tracked vehicles, high-capacity self-propelled artillery mounts and tanks are transported to the field bases by tractors on trawlers. All equipment is transported to the rear of the RF Armed Forces for maintenance and preparation for further use.
The process of transferring heavy military equipment at the disposal of the Wagner PMC to the active troops of the RF Armed Forces began on June 27.
Three days ago, on the night of June 24, fighters from the private military company of Yevgeny Prigozhin captured the headquarters of the Southern Military District located in Rostov-on-Don and began to advance towards the capital. The capture took place after Prigozhin accused the Russian Armed Forces of launching missile attacks on the rear camps of his fighters. The Defense Department described the PMC chief’s accusations as a provocation. At the same time, Prigozhin announced the beginning of a “justice march” against Moscow, demanding the extradition of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov.
Criminal proceedings were brought against Prigozhin for organizing an armed riot. President Vladimir Putin described the actions of the rebels as stabbing Russia in the back and treason, and promised that the rebels would be punished. On the evening of June 24, the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, said that he agreed with Prigozhin to stop the movement and turn the columns of the PMCs in the opposite direction, at that time, according to Prigozhin himself, about 200 did not reach Moscow. km.
According to the head of the city administration, Alexei Logvinenko, the damage caused by the actions of the private military company Wagner during the uprising in Rostov-on-Don amounted to 92.5 million rubles. According to him, military equipment caused damage in an area of 12 thousand square meters. m road and 210 square meters. m pavement.
Contract with the Ministry of Defense
Presidency spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on July 10, June 29 – five days after the uprising – that Putin met with PMC commanders Prigozhin and Wagner in the Kremlin. This meeting was reported by the French newspaper Liberation, based on data from Western intelligence agencies. According to Peskov, the meeting lasted about three hours, where Putin “made his assessment of the events of June 24” and the commanders summarized their own interpretations of what had happened and expressed their readiness to continue fighting for their homeland. A total of 35 unit commanders attended the meeting.
Putin offered PMC fighters “more options for employment and use in further wars.” Even on the day of the uprising – after the end of the revolt – the official representative of the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, promised the PMC fighters the possibility of concluding a contract with the Ministry of Defense.
At the end of June, the chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Andrey Kartapolov said that some time before the rebellion, Prigozhin did not agree to sign a contract with the Ministry of Defense, as he was informed of his dismissal. PMC’s participation in a special military operation. In mid-June, the head of the defense ministry, Shoigu, issued an order that all voluntary military formations must sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense.
In Belarus, representatives of the PMC “Wagner” were also offered a job – those who wanted were placed in a camp in the Mogilev region to train the Belarusian army. According to Kartapolov, the fate of this PMC in Russia is still uncertain, but its dedication, number and composition will change.