Prigozhin Still Under Investigation Despite Exile—Russian Media

Yevgeny Prigozhin remains under investigation on suspicion of organizing an armed mutiny, multiple Russian state-run outlets reported on Monday.

The Wagner Group boss announced a "march for justice" by his fighters against the country's military leadership after a months-long public feud into the handling of the war in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said an attempt by Prigozhin to conduct a rebellion was a betrayal and a stab in the back, and a criminal investigation against him was initiated on June 23.

In its armed uprising, which lasted less than 24 hours, the Wagner Group said it took control of two military hubs in southern Russia and advanced within 120 miles of Moscow before pulling back.

The Kremlin announced late on Saturday that a deal had been brokered by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to avoid "bloodshed." Prigozhin would leave for Belarus, and the criminal case against him in Russia would be dropped, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

However, on Monday, Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources, that the Federal Security Service (FSB) is still investigating Prigozhin and has not dropped the charges, despite the Kremlin saying this would happen as part of a deal.

The criminal case against "the main person involved"—Prigozhin—was not legally terminated and he continues to be investigated by an FSB investigator, the newspaper continued.

This was corroborated by Russia's three main news agencies—Tass, RIA Novosti, and Interfax.

"The criminal case against Prigozhin has not stopped. The investigation continues," a source close to the country's Prosecutor General's Office told Tass.

Armed mutiny carries a jail term of up to 20 years.

Separately on Monday, the head of the defense committee of the Russian State Duma, Andrey Kartapolov, said he sees no reason to ban the Wagner Group as "they have not done anything wrong."

Members of the Wagner Group who were in Rostov-on-Don as part of the attempted rebellion "followed the orders of their command," he told Russian news outlet Vedomosti.

"They didn't offend anyone, they didn't break anything. No one has the slightest claim to them—neither the residents of Rostov, nor the military personnel of the Southern Military District, nor the law enforcement agencies."

Kartapolov said the Wagner Group is Russia's most combat-ready unit in Russia, and that this is recognized by everyone, including representatives of Russia's Armed Forces.

"And to take them and disarm and disperse them - you can't imagine a better gift for NATO and Ukrainians. You don't have to do it," he said.

As of Monday morning, the whereabouts of Prigozhin have not been verified beyond his departure from Rostov-on-Don late on Saturday, when RIA Novosti published a video showing the Wagner boss leaving by car.

Newsweek has contacted Russia's Foreign Ministry via email for comment.

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