Wagner mercenaries headed back to their base on Sunday after Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to allow their leader to avoid treason charges and accept exile in neighbouring Belarus. Security measures were still in place in Moscow on Sunday, though fewer police were visible, and passers-by said they were unconcerned, despite Prigozhin’s exact whereabouts remaining unclear. Read our liveblog for the latest developments in the war in Ukraine. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).
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6:59am: Russian defence minister visits troops after Wagner mutiny
Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu has visited Russian troops involved in the military operation in Ukraine, the RIA news agency reported on Monday, his first public appearance since the weekend uprising by the Wagner paramilitary group.
The mercenaries led by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin advanced on Moscow to remove what they called Russia’s corrupt and incompetent military leadership, before suddenly heading back to a Russia-held area of eastern Ukraine after a deal with the Kremlin brokered by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
4:30am: Australia to provide $74 million assistance package to Ukraine
The Australian Government will provide a new A$110 million ($73.54 million) package to Ukraine to defend against Russia’s invasion, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday.
The package includes 70 military vehicles, including 28 armoured vehicles, 14 special operations vehicles, 28 medium trucks and 14 trailers.
“Australia is unwavering in our resolve to condemn and oppose Russia’s actions and to help Ukraine achieve victory,” Albanese said.
4:20am: Russia suffers legal setback in Australian embassy standoff
Russia’s bid to build a new embassy near Australia’s parliament suffered a legal blow on Monday, when the country’s highest court denied a request for temporary protection against eviction.
Australia has blocked Russia from building a new embassy in the capital Canberra – a stone’s throw from Parliament House – after intelligence agencies warned it could be used as a base to spy on lawmakers.
Russia’s embassy last week launched a last-minute injunction to temporarily hold on to the land, while dispatching a mystery diplomat to squat on the site as the legal tussle played out.
Australia’s high court ruled on Monday morning that Russia had to temporarily vacate the site until the case returns to court for more detailed legal arguments, local media reported.
The Russian embassy said it had “no comments” on the ruling.
3:04am: Wagner retreat brings ‘relief’ in Moscow
There was a sense of relief in Moscow as it was announced early Sunday that Wagner troops were stopping their advance towards the city.
In previous days, Russia soldiers had been stationed throughout the capital and residents in south Moscow had been told to stay at home and travel only if absolutely necessary.
“We were pretty scared. We started to think where could we go, and what should we take with us,” one resident told FRANCE 24.
1:15am: 17,000 Ukrainian army recruits trained by Britain and allies
More than 17,000 Ukrainian recruits have been trained by Britain and other allies over the past year to help Kyiv fight Russia’s invasion, the UK Ministry of Defence said Monday.
The recruits, from many different walks of life, all went through a “gruelling” five-week programme that the ministry said had transformed them “from civilians to soldiers”.
Britain and nine partner nations – Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania and the Netherlands – opened the initiative for new volunteer recruits to the Armed Forces of Ukraine in June last year.
The UK-led training program, dubbed Operation Interflex, taught the recruits, who had little to no previous military experience, various skills including weapons handling, battlefield first aid and patrol tactics.
“The determination and resilience of the Ukrainian recruits that arrive on British soil, from all walks of life, to train to fight alongside our British and international forces, is humbling to witness,” UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said.
Key developments from Sunday, June 25:
Russian paramilitary Wagner Group pulled its fighters from the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, where they had seized the military headquarters, the regional governor said on Sunday.
Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin halted his troops’ advance on Moscow late Saturday and said he would leave for Belarus to avoid facing charges.
The feud between Prigozhin and Russia’s military brass reached a crisis on Saturday when Wagner forces captured a key army headquarters in southern Russia before heading north to threaten the capital.
Read yesterday’s liveblog to see how all the day’s events unfolded.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
This story originally appeared on France24
