In accordance with the agreement reached after its failed rebellion in June, the paramilitary group Wagner on Wednesday handed over more than 2,000 equipment, 2,500 tons of ammunition and 20,000 small arms to the Russian army.
“The Russian Armed Forces, according to plan, are completing the receipt of weapons and military equipment from the units of the Wagner Group,” the Russian Defense Ministry said on Telegram.
He also posted a video showing soldiers inspecting tanks, armored personnel carriers, boxes of ammunition, Kalashnikovs and mines.
Wagner’s boss, Yevgueni Prigojine, had agreed to hand over the armaments of his men to the regular Russian troops after the abandonment of his rebellion at the end of June.
According to the ministry, the Russian military received “more than 2,000 pieces of equipment and armaments,” including T-90 tanks, Grad and Ouragan rocket systems, Pantsir air defense systems and howitzers.
She also obtained “over 2,500 tons of miscellaneous ammunition and approximately 20,000 small arms”. “All the equipment was delivered to the rear (of the front), where the repair units of the Russian armed forces carry out their maintenance,” the ministry added.
Wagner’s fighters were in particular on the front line in the bloody battle for Bakhmout, a devastated city whose capture was claimed in May by Moscow.
During their rebellion, Wagner’s men had occupied an army headquarters in southern Russia for several hours and traveled several hundred kilometers towards Moscow.
The mutiny ended on the evening of June 24, with an agreement providing for the departure to Belarus of Mr. Prigozhin. Its fighters have been offered by President Vladimir Putin to join the regular troops, leave for Belarus or return to civilian life.