Wagner chief Prigozhin 'lost his nerve' in calling off rebellion: Ex-CIA chief

Former director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Retired General David Petraeus, said on Sunday (June 25) that Russian mercenary group Wagner's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin should be careful around open windows in Belarus. Speaking to CNN, Petraeus said that Prigozhin lost his nerve in Russia after his revolt didn't appear to have generated the kind of support that he had hoped it would.

"Putin has weakened, his government has weakened. The irony is that his junior partner in Belarus Lukashenko had to bail him out of this. Prigozhin kept his life but lost his Wagner group. And he should be careful around open windows in his new surroundings in Belarus," Petraeus told CNN.

“Clearly, Prigozhin lost his nerve. He was … within roughly two hours drive of the outskirts of Moscow, where they were starting to prepare defensive positions. This rebellion, although it had some applause along the way, didn’t appear to be generating the kind of support that he had hoped it would. And again, he decided to take the deal. He gave up this effort," the former CIA director added.

Putin has been shaken personally: Petraeus

Petraeus also told CNN thatthe Russiangovernment and Putin had been shaken by the rebellion, adding this made the Russian president more vulnerable, arguably, than he has at any time in his two-decade rule of the country.

Petraeus' comments come as Russian mercenaries led by Prigozhin made a short-lived rebellion last Saturday, seizing Rostov and advancing on Moscow demanding the removal of Russian military commanders in charge of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Wagner withdrew the rebellion after it struck a deal guaranteeing the safety and exile of Prigozhin to Belarus.

Russian defence minister visits troops involved in Ukraine war

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu visited troops involved in the Ukraine war, his first public appearance since the weekend mutiny by Wagner, according to the RIA news agency on Monday (June 26). Though it was not yet clear when and where he met the troops and commanders of the Western military district.

Meanwhile, Russia sought to restore calm following the aborted mutiny with Monday being declared a non-working day in Moscow to allow time for things to settle.

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