The US Defense Department said on Tuesday it was aware of the presence of Wagner Group mercenaries in Ukraine following the attempted uprising in Russia this weekend.
The information was brought forward by Pentagon spokesman Pat Ryder at a press conference, who refused to tie US military aid to Ukraine, announced this Tuesday, of $500 million (458 million euros), with the attempted rebellion by the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, against the political and military leadership of Russia.
“There are no bonds or connections or value changes [da ajuda que vai para a Ucrânia] based on what happened in Russia”Pat Ryder said, reiterating that the US kept the lines of communication open with Russia during Prigozhin’s attempted rebellion on Saturday, even though Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had no contact with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu.
Postponing the uprising after both sides reached an agreement, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave Wagner’s mercenaries three options: return home, go into exile in Belarus, or sign a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry or the security services of another country.
Prigozhin is currently in Belarus, Belarusian President Alexandr Lukashenko, who acted as a mediator during the crisis, confirmed on Tuesday.
United States President Joe Biden on Monday denied any Western and NATO involvement in this attempted insurgency, insisting that the United States will continue to support Ukraine in defending against the Russian invasion.
Source: DN
