UPDATE - Criminal case against Wagner head Prigozhin would be dropped: Kremlin

ADDS DETAILS, CHANGES LEDE

By Elena Teslova and Seda Sevencan

MOSCOW/ISTANBUL (AA) - Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday that a criminal case will be closed against the head of the Wagner paramilitary group following an attempted armed rebellion.

He said Evgeny Prigozhin will move to Belarus but Peskov indicated that he did not know what line of work in Belarus Prigozhin will pursue.

The spokesman noted that Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko volunteered to serve as a mediator between Prigozhin and Russian authorities because he has personally known Prigozhin for 20 years.

"There was a supreme goal -- to avoid bloodshed, to avoid internal confrontation, to avoid a collision with unpredictable results. It was in the name of these goals that Lukashenko's mediation efforts were implemented. (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin has made the appropriate decision," he said at a news conference in Moscow.

Asked about guarantees for Prigozhin's safe passage to Belarus, Peskov said: "The guarantee is the word of the President of Russia."

Peskov excluded the possibility of bargaining on reshuffles at the Russian Defense Ministry between Prigozhin and Lukashenko, as this issue is "an exclusive competence of the commander-in-chief."

As for other Wagner fighters who refused to take part in Prigozhin's "march" to Moscow, they will sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry. Those who joined Prigozhin will not be persecuted due to their merits at the front.

The regime of counterterrorist operation, announced following Prigozhin's call to overthrow military chiefs, will be soon canceled as "the process of escalating tensions has been reversed," said Peskov.

The official argued that the situation did not have any effect on the "special military operation” and "Russia soldiers are repelling the counteroffensive of Ukraine's armed forces."

Peskov could not give a casualty number in the mutiny, urging journalists to address the question to the Defense Ministry press service.

Prigozhin published several audio recordings on his Telegram channel June 23 where he claimed his units were attacked and blamed Russian military leadership.

The Defense Ministry labeled as "false," the information about the alleged strike on the rear camp of the Wagner Group.

The Russian Federal Security Service qualified Prigozhin's statements as "calls to an armed rebellion" and opened a criminal case against him.

Putin in his address to the country on June 24 called Prigozhin's actions "an armed rebellion" and "betrayal," emphasizing that measures against the rebels will be "tough."

Prigozhin said his fighters would proceed to Moscow, prompting the Kremlin to enhance security measures across various regions of the country.

Prigozhin later claimed his fighters decided to turn back to avoid bloodshed when they were 200 kilometers (124 miles) from Moscow, while Lukashenko claimed he held talks with the Wagner head with Putin's accord, and that Prigozhin accepted a de-escalation deal.