Wagner, the Russian mercenary group who ordered troops to march Moscow before abruptly reversing course will move to neighboring Belarus and not face prosecution, reports said.
The development came hours after Wagner group chief Prigozhin announced his army had decided to retreat “to avoid any bloodshed,” marking the de-escalation of the situation that posed a considerable challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s authority.
The group had made substantial progress towards Russia’s Moscow and has already seized the city of Rostov and embarked on an ambitious 1,100 km (680 mile) journey towards the capital.
Prigozhin stated that the fighters would be returning to their base due to the potential risks of violence and loss of life.
