During his meeting with Prigozhin, Putin offered Wagner to join the army

Russian President Vladimir Putin said, in an interview published late Thursday, that he has offered fighters from Russia’s private military group Wagner an opportunity to continue serving within Russia’s regular army.

Putin said in an interview with the Russian newspaper Kommersant that he made the offer in Meeting with fighters and founder of the group Yevgeny Prigozhin Late last month, five days after Wagner staged a failed rebellion against the senior leadership of the Russian army.

And the rebellion ended Giving Moscow Prigozhin and the Wagner fighters a chance Settling in neighboring Belarus.

Putin also said it was up to the Russian parliament and government to discuss the legal framework for private military groups.

Putin told the newspaper, “Wagner does not exist. There is no law on private military organizations.”

Pentagon: Wagner has no significant involvement in Ukraine

For its part, the Pentagon said Thursday that the Wagner Group is not involved in military operations in Ukraine of any significance.

“At this point, we don’t see Wagner forces participating in any significant amount in support of combat operations in Ukraine,” said Brigadier General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman.

Wagner’s fighters fought some of the fiercest battles of the war in Ukraine. But in the aftermath of the June 23-24 mutiny, the fighters were given a choice between going into exile, joining the Russian regular forces, or returning home.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that Wagner TYou will complete the delivery of weapons to the armed forces Russian regulars.