Russia says dropping charges against Wagner: Russian agencies

By AFP June 27, 2023 | 02:29 am PT

Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin poses with mercenaries 'Biber' and 'Dolik' during a statement on the start of withdrawal of his forces from Bakhmut. Photo by Press service of the Wagner Group/Handout via Reuters

Russia's FSB security services announced Tuesday that it was dropping a case against fighters of the Wagner mercenary group accused of staging an armed mutiny to topple the country's military leadership.

"The criminal case opened over the armed uprising by the private military company Wagner has been closed," the FSB said in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.

The FSB explained its decision in the statement saying that participants of the armed insurrection had "ceased their actions directly aimed at committing the crime."

"Taking into account this and other circumstances relevant to the investigation, the investigative authority issued a resolution to terminate the criminal case," it said in the statement.

The FSB over the weekend accused Wagner's founder Yevgeny Prigozhin of attempting to launch a "civil conflict" and urged its fighters to detain him.