In the aftermath of the Wagner Group’s failed armed insurrection last month, retired Gen. Robert Abrams, an ABC News contributor and former commander of US Forces Korea, has expressed doubts about the fate of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the mutinous Wagner mercenary group boss. Prigozhin, known for his connection to the Kremlin, is believed by Abrams to be either dead or imprisoned, raising questions about the authenticity of his much-publicized meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin following the rebellion. Speaking to ABC News, Abrams shared his personal assessment, stating, “I doubt we’ll see Prigozhin ever again publicly. I think he’ll either be put in hiding, or sent to prison, or dealt with some other way, but I doubt we’ll ever see him again.” When asked about Prigozhin’s current status, Abrams added, “I personally don’t think he is [alive], and if he is, he’s in a prison somewhere.” The retired four-star general also cast doubt on the meeting between Putin and Prigozhin, which was claimed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to have taken place on June 29, just five days after the failed mutiny. “I’d be surprised if we actually see proof of life that Putin met with Prigozhin, and I think it’s highly staged,” Abrams commented. According to Peskov, the meeting involved 35 individuals, including Prigozhin, as well as other senior members of Putin’s administration such as Viktor Zolotov, the head of the national guard, and Sergei Naryshkin, SVR Foreign Intelligence boss. The French newspaper Liberation reported their presence during the meeting. Peskov stated that Putin provided his assessment of the Wagner Group’s actions in the war in Ukraine, as well as the events of the mutiny on June 24. Putin also reportedly listened to the commanders’ explanations and offered options for their future employment and combat use. Yevgeny Prigozhin, 62, had been engaged in a public feud with top military officials, including Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, regarding their handling of the war in Ukraine. He led the rebellion that resulted in the capture of Rostov-on-Don and ordered his forces to march toward Moscow. However, a sudden change of plans occurred after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko mediated a truce between Prigozhin and the Kremlin. Under the agreement, Prigozhin would avoid treason charges if he agreed to go into exile in Belarus. However, Lukashenko recently announced that Prigozhin had returned to Russia. Flight tracking data revealed that one of Prigozhin’s private jets has made multiple trips between Belarus and Russia in the days following the uprising. Reports also claimed that he was seen at the Saint Petersburg office of the FSB last week, apparently to collect his confiscated arsenal of weapons during a raid on his mansion. Prigozhin released an audio message expressing gratitude to those who supported the failed mutiny, emphasizing its aim to “fight traitors and mobilize our society.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

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