On Friday, August 24, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree requiring members of irregular armed groups to take an oath similar to that of soldiers in the army. This decision comes just two days after the announcement of the death of the leader of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in a plane crash near Moscow.
According to the text of the decree published on the Russian government’s official website, these members are now obligated to pledge “loyalty” and “faithfulness” to Russia, along with “strict obedience to the orders of leaders and authorities (highest rank).” This decree follows two months of rebellion by the Wagner Group, led by Prigozhin, against the Russian military leadership.
The Russian Civil Aviation Authority stated that Prigozhin was aboard the private plane that crashed.
Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, remarked in a press conference that the Wagner Group is recognized as a unit that has made a “significant contribution” to the Russian military campaign in Ukraine, praising the valor of its fighters.
Yesterday, Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his condolences to Prigozhin’s family, breaking his silence after the plane crash that claimed the lives of all its passengers. This comes after two months of Prigozhin leading a rebellion against the Russian military leadership.
Putin stated that “preliminary information” suggests that Prigozhin and his senior aides in Wagner were all killed, while also acknowledging that he had committed some “serious mistakes”.
Some Western politicians and commentators, without presenting evidence, have suggested that Putin ordered Prigozhin’s death as a punishment for his rebellion on June 23rd and 24th against the Russian military leadership. This rebellion also posed one of the most significant challenges to Putin’s authority since he assumed power in 1999.”