Putin wished to ‘wipe out’ Wagner chief Prigozhin after mutiny, claims Lukashenko

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that he had requested Russian President Vladimir Putin not to "wipe out" mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin amid the armed mutiny of Wagner group that pushed Russia to the brink of civil war.

Initially, Putin had promised to crush the mutiny which it compared to the wartime turmoil that had led to the revolution of 1917 followed by civil war, however, hours later the Wagner chief finalised a deal which allowed him along with some of his fighters to go to Belarus.

On Tuesday, Wagnerchief flew to Belarus from Russia. Lukashenko, while talking about the conversation he had with Putin on Saturday, made use of the Russian criminal slang phrase used for killing someone which is similar to the English phrase to "wipe out".

Add WION as a Preferred Source

ALSO READ |Explained | How Lukashenko emerged as key player to resolve Wagner situation

"I also understood: a brutal decision had been made (and it was the undertone of Putin's address) to wipe outthe mutineers," said Lukashenko in a meeting of his army officials as well as journalists on Tuesday, as reported by the Belarusian state media.

"I suggested to Putin not to rush. 'Come on,' I said, 'Let's talk with Prigozhin, with his commanders.' To which he told me: 'Listen, Sasha, it's useless. He doesn't even pick up the phone, he doesn’t want to talk to anyone'," he stated.

The same Russian verb was used by Putin in 1999 about Chechen militants, as he vowed to "wipe out them out in the shithouse". The remarks made by Putin became a widely quoted emblem of the Russian leader's severe persona.

'Experience of Wagner troops beneficial'

No immediate comment was made by Kremlin on the remarks of Lukashenko. The statements gave a rare insight into the conversations that took place inside the Kremlin as Russia, as per its own account of Putin, teetered towards a kind of turmoil which the country had not seen for decades.

Lukashenko, a close ally of Putin and an old acquaintance of Prigozhin, said that he had asked the Russian president to think "beyond our own noses" and that the elimination of Prigozhin can trigger a widespread revolt by his fighters.

The Belarusian leader also stated that the experience of Wagner troops can benefit his own army as the troop, according to the deal finalised with the Kremlin, are now free to go towards Belarus.

WATCH |Wagner Revolt: Lukashenko positions himself as voice of reason

"This is the most trained unit in the army," Lukashenko was quoted by the BelTA state agency as saying. "Who will argue with this? My military also understands this, and we don't have such people in Belarus," he added.

Lukashenko, later, said to his military that "people fail to understand that we are approaching this in a pragmatic way ... They've (Wagner) been through it, they'll tell us about the weaponry - what worked well, which worked badly."

Prigozhin's "march of justice" towards Moscow from Rostov-on-Don, the southern city located within 200 kilometres of the capital, was halted after the intervention of Lukashenko.

(With inputs from agencies)

You cannow write forwionews.comand be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with ushere.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE