Russian Commander Posts Ominous Warning After Wagner Mutiny

Alexander Khodakovsky, the Russia-backed commander of separatist forces in Ukraine, posted an ominous warning on Sunday following the end of the Wagner Group's mutiny, claiming that the country "will never be the same again."

Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin on Friday declared war on the Russian Ministry of Defense after the Russian military allegedly carried out an attack on his company's mercenary forces stationed in Ukraine, killing many. The oligarch's forces reportedly seized control of military sites in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, before mobilizing north towards Moscow. After a day of chaos and confusion, Wagner Group forces were ordered to stand down as part of a deal brokered with help from the Belarusian government.

Despite the alleged coup fizzling out, many observers said that the incident will continue to reverberate throughout the Russian government, with some claiming that it has made Russian President Vladimir Putin appear weaker than before. In a post shared by the WarTranslated Twitter account, Khodakovsky grimly suggested that Wagner's actions have changed Russia forever.

"Our country will never be the same again," the post reads. "The convoy of Wagnerites was not moving on the asphalt - it moved through the hearts of people, cutting society in half. We prayed to God that the enemy would not take advantage of the situation and throw all the resources into battle - we would almost have no chance. We already have a hard time, but yesterday everything hung on a very thin thread. And those who understood what was at stake and how close we came to a defeat will never understand those who shouted glory to the Wagnerites, rejoicing that someone challenged the authorities."

He continued: "...Millions of people yesterday experienced horror at the thought that everything they had endured over the past years would be crossed out in one day. These millions will never be able to look into the eyes of those who hooted at the sight of falling helicopters shot down yesterday without judgment."

In a statement to Newsweek, Daniel Davis, a foreign defense expert and retired lieutenant colonel for the U.S. Army, doubted that Khodakovsky's sentiments reflect the broader perceptions of the Russian people, but did note that the incident has planted "seeds of doubt."

"Alexander Khodakovsky is a deep thinker, has long been a deeply patriotic person and very emotional in his responses. I don't think he represents a large percentage of thought among the Russian people, especially those in occupied Ukraine, which is where he is a field commander, and has been since 2014," Davis said.

He continued: "However, this has opened a lot of grief among many in Russia, and creates uncertainty. At the moment, I think Putin will be able to hold everything together, because this was resolved with relatively little bloodshed, and actually helped the Ministry of Defense in one sense, because it removes a big division and thorn that has been plaguing Russia's military for months. But if Putin doesn't gain firm control, and confidence of his people and military in the coming months, the seeds of doubt could spring into something more."

The press service for Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko reported that Prigozhin accepted the terms of a deal to end the worsening conflict on Saturday and was taking steps to de-escalate his forces. As part of the deal, Wagner Group forces will reportedly receive certain security guarantees from the Russian government. Criminal charges against Prigozhin from Russia will be dropped, and the Wagner leader will also be moving to Belarus.

Updated 6/26/2023, 12:53 p.m. ET: This article was updated to include insight from a foreign defense expert.