Pentagon: Wagner Group no longer "significantly involved" in the battles in Ukraine

The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) stated on Thursday, two weeks after the failed uprising by Wagner fighters, that the Russian mercenary group is no longer "significantly" participating in combat operations in Ukraine.

Pentagon spokesperson General Pat Ryder said in a press conference, "At this stage, we do not see Wagner forces playing a significant role in combat operations in Ukraine."

He added that the United States believes that the "majority" of Wagner fighters are still present in the Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia.

The Wagner Group, which played a key role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, attempted a swift coup at the end of June to overthrow the Russian military leadership.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the group's leader, confirmed that his uprising was not intended to topple the authorities but rather to save Wagner from the dismantling of the Russian General Staff, which he accused of inefficiency in the conflict in Ukraine.

The uprising ended on the evening of June 24th with an agreement that led to Prigozhin's departure to Belarus.

Russian President Vladimir Putin offered the Wagner fighters the option to join regular forces, go to Belarus, or return to civilian life.

On Wednesday, the Russian army announced that it had received over two thousand pieces of military equipment, 2,500 tons of ammunition, and twenty thousand small arms from the Wagner Group. Prigozhin agreed to hand over the weapons of his men to the regular Russian forces after abandoning the uprising.

Since the failed rebellion, unconfirmed rumors circulating in the realm of Russian power have suggested changes within the military leadership, particularly regarding General Sergei Surovikin, who has long been an ally of Wagner.




AFP