The Kremlin officially confirmed this arrangement on Saturday.

According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Lukashenko, who had a longstanding personal acquaintance with Prigozhin spanning approximately two decades, offered his mediation services with the consent of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Under the terms of the agreement, the criminal charges against Prigozhin for his role in the mutiny will be dropped, and the Wagner fighters who participated in the "march for justice" will not face legal repercussions, recognizing their previous service to Russia.

However, fighters who did not take part in the mutiny will be required to sign contracts with the Defense Ministry, as part of the ministry's ongoing efforts to bring all autonomous volunteer forces under its control by July 1.

While Putin had previously vowed to punish those involved in the mutiny, Peskov clarified that the primary objective of the agreement was to avoid confrontation and bloodshed.

Regarding potential concessions made to Prigozhin, Peskov refrained from providing specific details, except for assurances of his safety, which Putin personally guaranteed, along with the safety of Prigozhin's men to facilitate their withdrawal. Peskov described the day's events as "tragic" but stated that no further conditions would be disclosed.

Notably, Prigozhin had previously demanded the surrender of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, but no information regarding their involvement in the agreement was shared.

When questioned about potential personnel changes within the Russian Defense Ministry resulting from the agreement, Peskov emphasized that such matters were solely within the purview of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief (Putin) as per the constitution of the Russian Federation. Therefore, it was unlikely that these topics were discussed during the negotiations.

This agreement marks a significant development in the ongoing saga involving the Wagner Group, with Prigozhin's relocation to Belarus and the resolution of the armed mutiny posing implications for both Russia and its relationship with Belarus. The details of the agreement and its long-term consequences are eagerly awaited by observers and analysts. (ILKHA)