Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

Putin Meets Top Wagner Commander Over Ukraine War

POSTED ON September 29, 2023 •   GLOBAL NEWS      BY Samuel O . Adeniyi

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Andrei Troshev, a former top commander of the Wagner mercenary group, on Friday to discuss how best to use "volunteer units" in the Ukraine war.

The meeting underscores the Kremlin's attempt to show that the state has now gained control over the mercenary group after a failed June mutiny by its boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was then killed with other senior commanders in a plane crash in August.

Putin was shown on state television meeting at the Kremlin with Troshev, a former Wagner commander known by his nom de guerre "Sedoi" - or "grey hair".

The Kremlin said the meeting took place late on Thursday.

Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, who has travelled over recent months to several countries where Wagner mercenaries have worked, was also present, sitting closest to Putin.

Addressing Troshev, Putin said that they had spoken about "volunteer units that can perform various combat tasks, above all, of course, in the zone of the special military operation."

"You yourself have been fighting in such a unit for more than a year," Putin said. "You know what it is, how it is done, you know about the issues that need to be resolved in advance so that the combat work goes in the best and most successful way."

Putin also said he wanted to speak about social support for those involved in the fighting.

Troshev was shown listening to Putin, leaning forward and nodding, pencil in hand. His remarks were not shown.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the RIA news agency that Troshev now worked at the defence ministry.

The fate of Wagner has been unclear since Prigozhin's failed June 23 mutiny and his death on Aug. 23, after which Putin ordered Wagner fighters to sign an oath of allegiance to the Russian state, which Prigozhin and many of his men had opposed.

Russia's Kommersant newspaper has reported that just days after the Wagner mutiny Putin had suggested that Troshev take over from Prigozhin.

Wagner's return?

The Putin meeting in the Kremlin appears to indicate that what remains of Wagner will now be overseen by Troshev and Yevkurov.

Wagner, which once had tens of thousands of men, became best known for its May capture of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut in the bloodiest battle of the war. After Bakhmut's fall, Wagner units withdrew from Ukraine.

Some of the Wagner fighters have signed up for service with the formal Russian army while many others have moved into different private military companies (PMCs), Russian sources have told Reuters.

British military intelligence said that up to hundreds of fighters formerly associated with Wagner have likely started to redeploy to Ukraine as part of a variety of different units.

"The exact status of the redeploying personnel is unclear, but it is likely individuals have transferred to parts of the official Russian Ministry of Defence forces and other PMCs," British military intelligence said.

Troshev, a decorated veteran of Russia's wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya and a former commander in the SOBR interior ministry rapid reaction force, is from St. Petersburg, Putin's home town, and has been pictured with the president.

He was awarded Russia's highest medal, Hero of Russia, in 2016 for the storming of Palmyra in Syria against Islamic State militants.

READ ALSO
Trump Announces Iran-Israel Ceasefire Deal, Tehran Denies Formal Agreement
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 24, 2025 0

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that Iran and Israel have agreed to a “comple...

READ ALSO
NATO Warns Iran Against Nuclear Weapon Development Amid Rising Tensions
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 24, 2025 0

In a renewed effort to curb escalating violence in the Middle East, the North Atlantic Treaty Organi...

READ ALSO
Qatar Closes Airspace After Iranian Strike on U.S. Base in Doha
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 23, 2025 0

In a swift move to safeguard lives and property, the government of Qatar has closed its airspace fol...

READ ALSO
Iran Denounces U.S. Support for Israeli Strikes as Genocidal, Vows to Defend Its Sovereignty
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 22, 2025 0

Iran's foreign minister issued a grave warning on Sunday, stating that the United States and Israel...

READ ALSO
Trump Urges Immediate Evacuation of Tehran as Israeli Strikes Expand
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 17, 2025 0

The Israeli military has instructed thousands of residents to evacuate central Tehran to prevent cas...

READ ALSO
Trump Ban Nationals from 12 Countries amid Security Concerns
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 5, 2025 0

President Donald Trump has enacted a new proclamation prohibiting citizens from 12 nations from ente...

READ ALSO
Tinubu Honors Bill Gates with National Award for Global Philanthropy
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 4, 2025 0

LAGOS, Nigeria - President Bola Tinubu commended Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and chairma...

READ ALSO
Bahrain, Colombia, DRC, Latvia, and Liberia Join UN Security Council for 2026-2027 Term
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 4, 2025 0

The UN General Assembly on Tuesday elected five new non-permanent members to the UN Security Council...

OUR CHANNELS:

Nigerian Authorities Rescue 31 Victims Lured from Ghana
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - A total of 46 victims of trafficking have been rescued by agents from the National...


Tinubu Signs Four Tax Reform Bills to Transform Nigeria's Fiscal Framework
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

ABUJA, Nigeria - President Bola Tinubu has enacted four tax reform bills that focus on crucial aspec...


Diddy Trial: Closing Arguments to Highlight Allegations of Racketeering and Sex Trafficking
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

Following weeks of meticulous testimony in the high-profile trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs,...


Tinubu to Sign Four Tax Reform Bills into Law Thursday
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

President Bola Tinubu is set to sign four pivotal tax reform bills designed to revamp Nigeria's fisc...


FG Slams El-Rufai Over Harsh Remarks on Tinubu
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

The spokesperson for the President, Bayo Onanuga, criticized former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-R...


Over 470 Earthquakes Hit Japan, No Significant Damage Reported
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported on Thursday that at least 470 earthquakes have occurred in...


Nigeria Takes Bold Step towards Energy Independence with Naira-Based Crude Sales Initiative
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, alongside the Federal Government’s One-Stop-Sho...


FG Delivers on Housing Promise to 1994 Super Eagles
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

The Federal Government has at last honored its long-standing commitment to provide housing allocatio...


Kebbi Vows to Tackle Informants Aiding Bandits
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

KEBBI, Nigeria - Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Nasir Idris, has pledged to take action against informant...


PDP seeks Tinubu’s intervention in Osun Crisis
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara June 27, 2025 0

The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has urged President Bola Tinubu to step in re...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu