US says Wagner Group "does not participate significantly" in fighting in Ukraine

MADRID, 14 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The United States government has indicated that it considers that the Wagner Group "does not participate significantly" in the fighting in Ukraine as a result of the brief rebellion led on June 24 by the leader of the private security company, Yevgeni Prighozin, who It was one of the biggest challenges to the power of Russian President Vladimir Putin since he came to power.

"Broadly speaking, at this stage, we do not see the Wagner Group forces being significantly involved in support of combat operations in Ukraine," said US Department of Defense press secretary Pat Ryder.

Thus, he stressed that Washington considers that "most of these forces are still in areas of Ukraine occupied by Russia, but on an effective level they are no longer contributing a significant combat capacity." "Obviously it is something that we will continue to pay attention to, but that is how things are now," he concluded.

Prigozhin led a rebellion on June 24 that included the advance of his forces towards the capital, Moscow, although hours later an agreement was reached that implied the withdrawal of the members of the Wagner Group with a view to their possible integration into the Army and the Drop of charges for those involved in the revolt.

In this sense, Putin affirmed on Thursday in statements given to the Russian newspaper 'Kommersant' that "the Wagner Group does not exist on a legal level." "It exists, but not on a legal level," he said, before stating that a "real legalization" of the company's status "is a matter to be discussed in the State Duma and in the government."

"It is not an easy matter," he acknowledged, although he added that in this case "everything is easy and obvious for Russian society." "The Wagner Group fighters fought with dignity, so the fact that they were involved in these events is regrettable," the Russian president said.

Putin further indicated that he told Prigozhin during a meeting held days after the rebellion that members of the Wagner Group "can all meet in one place and continue their service and nothing will have changed for them."

"They will continue to be led by the same person who was their true commander throughout this time", in apparent reference to his person, as head of the Armed Forces, and influencing his proposal that the members of the Wagner Group be integrated into the of the Army to continue with its functions in the framework of the invasion of Ukraine.