Former Russian PM: ’This is Putin’s defeat’ | DW News

An armed uprising in Russia has come to an abrupt end after the head of the Wagner mercenary group ordered his troops to stand down. Yevgheny Prigozhin abandoned his attempt to overthrow Russia’s military commanders after striking a deal with the Kremlin. Wagner forces have now withdrawn from the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, where they earlier occupied the district military headquarters. Prigozhin says Wagner is pulling its troops back to avoid spilling Russian blood. The Kremlin says he will move to Belarus, and all criminal charges against him and his soldiers will be withdrawn. DW speaks to Mikhail Kasyanov. He was Russia’s prime minister from 2000 to 2004 in Vladimir Putin’s first administration. Now he’s with the opposition People’s Freedom Party in Russia. Kasyanov says that Saturday’s rebellion could mark the beginning of the end for Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also says that he believes Prigozhin could soon be “liquidated.“ Subscribe: