In Volgograd, a political scientist named Mikhail Serenko was reportedly detained in connection with the Wagner PMC case following a high-level agreement between Moscow and Minsk. Telegraph channel Baza reported the arrest took place on the evening of June 24 as part of intensified oversight surrounding the ongoing events involving the private military company. Officials later stated that Serenko was shown to have his hard drive and phone seized, and that he underwent a brief questioning before being released. During the interrogation, he expressed a clearly negative view of the Wagner PMC and affirmed loyalty to the Russian Armed Forces. Investigators indicated that the case related to the Wagner actions remained open at that time. Serenko suggested that security services, reacting to the volatile situation, had adopted a cautious stance and conducted stronger-than-usual checks on individuals connected to the matter. He also noted that there had been earlier discussion within investigative channels about the possibility that the riot-related charges might not be closed imminently.
State Duma deputy from the Liberal Democratic Party, Vlasov, previously commented on communications surrounding the Wagner affair, indicating a focus on how calls and information were managed in relation to the company’s activities.
On the evening of June 23, Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Wagner PMC, asserted that Russian Defense Ministry forces allegedly struck the rear camps of his group and that fighters were moving toward Moscow in what he described as a “march for justice.” At that time, the Defense Ministry denied direct involvement in the alleged attacks, while prosecutors filed a suit against Prigozin for organizing an armed riot. From an official standpoint, the situation was framed as a challenge to the state’s authority and a test of coordination between security structures and military leadership.
The following morning, Wagner forces reportedly sealed administrative buildings in Rostov-on-Don as President Vladimir Putin began moving toward the capital. The president criticized Prigozhin’s moves as a betrayal and warned the PMC leadership of possible consequences. Support for a firm stance came from the State Duma, the Federation Council, and several regional authorities, and Chechen forces from Akhmad were deployed to Rostov to reinforce the security perimeter as a precautionary measure.
Later, a official Belarusian presidential press service briefed on negotiations between Alexander Lukashenko and Prigozhin. It was announced that the parties reached an “acceptable solution” that promised security guarantees for the fighters involved with Wagner. Reports indicated that Prigozhin decided to halt the provocative march, directing his columns to return to field camps, a move described as an effort to de-escalate tensions while maintaining operational readiness for the company’s personnel. The events were tracked and analyzed by multiple security and political observers, who noted the rapid changes in posture by both the Kremlin and the Wagner leadership during the unfolding crisis. [citation: Belta, Interfax, and official briefings]