THE Russian FSB, Russia’s powerful Intelligence and Security Service has officially announced that it is withdrawing its prosecution of the mercenary organization-company Wagner for stalling, Russian news agencies report.

According to the RIA agency, the prosecution was terminated because the perpetrators stopped the actions that had “the direct aim of committing the crime”.

The deal that resolved the crisis on Saturday includes a Kremlin pledge that the Wagner fighters who took part in the standoff will not be prosecuted and will be allowed to return to their bases.

The mercenaries will surrender their heavy weapons

At the same time, the Russian paramilitary organization is preparing to surrender heavy military equipment to the Ministry of Defense, as the RIA news agency reported today, citing the ministry, following the end of a brief insurgency over the weekend by fighters of the organization.

In an unprecedented challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s authority, Wagner fighters marched on Moscow on Saturday, demanding the ouster of Russia’s military leadership over what they described as its mishandling of the Ukraine war. They then abruptly ended their rebellion and returned to their bases under a deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

“I put the Belarusian army on alert”

Lukashenko said he ordered Belarusian military forces to be on combat alert during the Wagner mutiny in a speech to military and security officials in the presence of journalists.

“I gave all the necessary orders for the army to be ready for battle,” said Lukashenko, a key ally of Vladimir Putin, Belarusian state news agency Belta reported.

The order of the Belarusian president is indicative of concern caused by the brief mutiny of Wagner. Its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, must, according to the Kremlin, be confined to Belarus after agreeing to end the standoff.