Minsk, Belarus

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday spilled the beans on the hectic parleys that took place to defuse tensions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and the rebelling Wagner Group mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

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Lukashenko played a key role in halting the short-lived coup attempt in exchange for a deal that included providing asylum to Prigozhin.

On Tuesday, Russia's FSB security service dropped charges against the participants in the insurrection as part of a deal negotiated by Lukashenko and his long-term ally Putin. 

Lukashenko said Prigozhin had arrived in Belarus and was welcome to stay "for some time". 

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“At 10.10, he (Putin) called and informed me in detail about the situation that is happening in Russia. He asked several questions, including how to counteract this, and I realised that the situation is complicated,” Lukashenko said at a military awards ceremony in Minsk.

He then said that Putin wanted to eliminate Prigozhin, but decided not to “rush” after Lukashenko intervened.

Lukashenko said he told the Wagner chief that he would be “squashed like a bug” if he proceeds to march towards Moscow and warned that the Kremlin would never fulfil his demand of ousting Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu and the Chief of The General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov.

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The president further revealed that Putin was furious that the Wagner chief wouldn't take his calls during the brief uprising.

Behind the scenes

Detailing his back-to-back calls with Putin and Prigozhin on Saturday, Lukashenko told Prigozhin that it would be against his own interests if he thinks that he would get justice for the alleged wrongdoings against Wagner.

“Our first round of talks lasted about 30 minutes and we talked mostly in swear words. Almost only swear words," Lukashenko said.

"Later, it occurred to me that there were 10 times more swear words than normal words."

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Lukashenko told Prigozhin that "no one will ever hand over Shoigu, Gerasimov, or anyone else, for that matter. Especially in this situation. You know Putin as well as I do."

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“For a long time, I was trying to convince him. And in the end, I said, ‘You know, you can do whatever you want. But don't be offended by me. Our brigade is ready for transfer to Moscow'," Lukashenko told state media.

Lukashenko said that he had detailed negotiations with Putin, who was reluctant to let go Prigozhin unpunished.

“The most dangerous thing, as I understand it, is not what the situation was, but how it could develop and its consequences,” Lukashenko said, according to Belarussian state media.

“I also realised there was a harsh decision taken — to destroy (Prigozhin). I suggested Putin not to hurry. Let’s talk with Prigozhin, with his commanders.”

Lukashenko said Putin told him: “Listen, Alex, it’s useless. (Prigozhin) doesn’t even pick up the phone, he doesn’t want to talk to anyone.”

But despite that Lukashenko said he was able to get hold of the Wagner boss and bring him to senses.

Kremlin’s response

Putin has so far been silent on the backchannel talks between his long-time ally Lukashenko and Prigozhin.

But in a statement, the Kremlin credited Lukashenko for helping to de-escalate the tense situation, though they did not corroborate the Belarus leader’s account of events.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Lukashenko was able to draw on a personal relationship with Prigozhin to reach the deal, which would also see Wagner troops and equipment absorbed by the Russian military.

The Defence Ministry didn't release any information about casualties, but media reports said at least a dozen airmen were killed.

When asked why the rebels were allowed to advance to roughly 200 kilometres away from Moscow without facing any resistance, National Guard chief Viktor Zolotov said authorities tried to assemble a strong force capable of stopping the onslaught.

"We concentrated our forces in one fist closer to Moscow," he told reporters. "If we spread them thin, they would have come like a knife through butter."

General Zolotov also said the National Guard had lacked battle tanks and other heavy weapons, but would now get them.

Belarus wouldn’t mind a Wagner-like unit

Lukashenko further said that his defence minister Viktor Khrennikov was very much interested in having a Wagner-like unit in the Belarusian army. He said that he has instructed Khrennikov to negotiate with Prigozhin on the matter.

When asked where is Prigozhin and his troops are staying, the Belrusian leader said that the mercenary leader and some of his troops are staying at one of the abandoned military bases.

They will be staying at their own expense, Lukashenko said.

What will happen of Wagner troops?

The Russian Defence Ministry said that preparations are underway for Wagner's troops, who numbered 25,000, to hand over their heavy weapons to the Russian military. 

Prigozhin had said those moves were being taken ahead of a July 1 deadline for his fighters to sign contracts to serve under the Russian military's command.

Prigozhin issued no public statements on Tuesday.

(With inputs from agencies)

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