MOSCOW, July 25. /TASS/. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told The Washington Post that European intelligence assessments of the situation around the mutiny that was recently attempted by the private military company Wagner are "nonsense."
The Washington Post has run a story, citing intelligence assessments, alleging that Russian security services had warned Russian President Vladimir Putin at least two or three days ahead of time that Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin was preparing a possible rebellion. Steps were taken to boost security at several strategic facilities, including the Kremlin, but otherwise no actions were taken, sources told the newspaper.
Peskov told The Washington Post that the intelligence assessments were "nonsense" and shared "by people who have zero information."
PMC Wagner attempted a mutiny on June 23-25. Prigozhin said that his units had allegedly come under attack, which he blamed on the Russian military leadership. The Russian Defense Ministry denied these allegations. According to Andrey Kartapolov, chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee, Prigozhin refused to sign a contract with the Defense Ministry before the attempted mutiny, so he was told that his Wagner company would no longer participate in the special military operation. Wagner units that supported Prigozhin marched toward Rostov-on-Don and Moscow. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held talks with Prigozhin on June 24, upon which Wagner fighters returned to their field camps. The Kremlin said later that Prigozhin would relocate to Belarus, while members of the Wagner company would be spared prosecution.