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Prigozhin in Belarus, as Kyiv retook villages
Summary
A look back at 27 June 2023, when Minsk confirmed the Wagner chief's arrival while Ukrainian forces and Western donors kept up their effort.
What did the end of the Wagner rebellion look like on 27 June 2023? It looked like a confirmation from Minsk: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group, had arrived in Belarus under the agreement reached with the Russian government.
The rebellion itself had been brief. As later described, major action began on the evening of 23 June 2023, after statements by the Wagner leader, Russian interior troops and the Russian opposition. It ended on the evening of 24 June, after talks between Lukashenko and Prigozhin. The terms were that the criminal case against Prigozhin for armed rebellion would be closed, Wagner would move to field camps, and Prigozhin would go to Belarus. Lukashenko's announcement on 27 June 2023 confirmed the last part of that arrangement.
The front line kept moving
The fighting in Ukraine continued alongside these events. On 26 June 2023, Ukrainian forces recaptured the uninhabited village of Rivnopil in Donetsk Oblast. Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said it was the ninth village retaken in the previous month.
Support from abroad
On the same day, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a AU$110 million military aid package for Ukraine.
Taken together, the reports from 26 and 27 June 2023 show three developments running side by side: the Wagner leader's arrival in Belarus, small but steady Ukrainian gains in Donetsk Oblast, and a fresh pledge of military support from Canberra.
