Prigozhin's arrival in Belarus and Ukraine's gains: 27 June 2023
A look back at the day Minsk confirmed the Wagner chief's arrival, as Ukrainian forces continued to retake villages and Australia pledged new aid.
What did the end of the Wagner rebellion look like on 27 June 2023? On that date, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed that Wagner Group head Yevgeny Prigozhin had arrived in Belarus, in line with the agreement reached with the Russian government.
The confirmation closed a short internal conflict in Russia. As later described, large-scale action began on the evening of 23 June 2023 and ended on the evening of 24 June, after talks between Lukashenko and Prigozhin. The terms included closing the criminal case against Prigozhin over an armed mutiny, moving Wagner to field camps and sending Prigozhin to Belarus.
Fighting continued on the ground
The day before, on 26 June 2023, Ukrainian forces recaptured the uninhabited village of Rivnopil in Donetsk Oblast. According to Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar, it was the ninth village retaken in the previous month.
Fresh support from Australia
Also on 26 June 2023, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a AU$110 million military aid package for Ukraine.
Taken together, the reports from 26 and 27 June 2023 show events on several fronts: Minsk confirming a deal that removed Wagner's leader from Russia, Kyiv's forces reporting further territorial gains in Donetsk Oblast, and an international partner adding to military assistance.
