How Wagner insurgency in Russia was stopped - Lukashenko reveals details of negotiations

Life without war is the result of daily work, which is not always visible. But this work requires colossal efforts, sometimes even risking one's life.

Alexander Lukashenko said this at the ceremony of presentation of epaulets to the senior officers.

"Yesterday morning I decided it was time to say something on the subject (not everything, of course), moreover, honestly, openly, without hiding anything.

By Saturday morning at 8 a.m. I was already receiving disturbing information about the situation in Russia. President Putin wanted to get in touch. After he spoke at 10, at 10:10 he called me and informed me in great detail about the situation in Russia.

"I asked Putin several questions, including about the opposition to this, and I understood that the situation is complicated.

"The most dangerous thing, as I understood it, is not what it was, the situation, but how it could develop and its consequences. That was the most dangerous thing. I also understood: a brutal decision was made (this was the implication of Putin's speech) to eliminate them. I suggested that Putin should take his time. Let's talk to Prigozhin and his commanders. To which he told me: "Look, Sasha, it's no use. He doesn't even pick up the phone, he doesn't want to talk to anyone. "

"I asked, 'Where is he? - "In Rostov." I say, 'Good. A bad peace is better than any war. Take your time. I'll try to get in touch with him." Once again he says, "It's no use." I say, "Okay, wait."

By the middle of the day we had set up as many as three channels that we can use to talk to Rostov".

"At 11:00 (though Putin warned me: he will not pick up the phone) Prigozhin instantly picked up the phone. That is, Evkurov called him and gave him the phone: "Here, the President of Belarus is calling, will you talk to him? - "I will talk to Alexander Grigorievich".

The conversation was euphoric. Evgeny was totally euphoric. We talked for 30 minutes for the first round, in foul language. Exclusively. There were 10 times more swear words (I analyzed it later) than normal words. He, of course, apologized and began to tell me in swear words.

And I thought: where do I come in to start these negotiations, so to speak. The guys had just come from the front. They had seen thousands, thousands of their dead guys. The guys are very offended, especially the commanders. And, as I understood, they had a great influence (I made a preliminary calculation) on Prigozhin himself. Yes, he is such a, you know, heroic guy, but he was pressured and influenced very much by those who led the assault squads and saw these deaths. And so in that situation, having jumped out of there into Rostov, in such a half-raged state, I have this dialogue with him.

I began to clarify. I said, "Did you kill any of the civilians there, the military who didn't confront you?" - "Alexander Grigorievich, I swear to you, we didn't touch anyone. We occupied the headquarters. Here I am." And it turned out to be true. It was very important.

Note that it was very important that they, going into Rostov, did not touch anyone.

On Prigozhin's demands

"I said, "What do you want?" "I don't ask for anything, Alexander Grigorievich. Let them give me Shoigu and Gerasimov. And I need to meet with Putin." I said, "Zhenya, nobody will give you Shoigu or Gerasimov, especially in this situation. You know Putin as well as I do. Secondly, he's not going to talk to you over the phone, let alone meet you, given the current situation. He remains silent. "But we want justice! They want to strangle us! We'll go to Moscow!" I said: "Halfway through, they'll just crush you like a bedbug. Despite the fact that the troops are diverted on the corresponding front." Think about it, I say. "No" - such is the euphoria.

I persuaded him for a long time. And in the end I said: "You know, you can do whatever you want. But don't hold it against me. The brigade is ready to be transferred to Moscow. And, like in 1941 (you read books, you are an educated, intelligent man), we will defend Moscow. Because this situation is not only in Russia. It's not just because it's our Fatherland. And because, God forbid, had this turmoil spread throughout Russia (and the prerequisites for it were enormous), we would be next.

"Who is Prigozhin? This is a very authoritative person in the armed forces today. That's why I thought: we can whack him. I said to Putin, too: "We can do it." It's not a problem. I said: "Don't do it. Because then there won't be any negotiations. These guys who know how to stand up for each other, who have fought in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, they will do anything. We can also kill them, but thousands and thousands of civilians will die, as well as those who will stand up to the Wagnerites. And they are the most trained unit in the army. Who will argue with this? My military understand that, too, and we do not have such trained units in Belarus. They are people who have been through more than one war in different places.

The President has dotted all the i's regarding his participation in the resolution of the situation in Russia. Alexander Lukashenko urged not to speculate on Saturday's events and not to make heroes of anyone. Under the current circumstances, there can be no heroes, said the Belarusian leader.

On the condition for Prigozhin and his withdrawal of his demands

"Talking for the second or third time, I warned him. I can already see that he is ready to give up, but I warn him: "Yevgeny, no bloodshed. As soon as you intentionally, unintentionally kill even one person, especially a civilian, that's it, there will be no negotiations with you, and I will not talk to you." He swore to me. We don't have such a goal, he said, and I swear to you that it won't happen.

The negotiations went on for a day. Six or seven rounds of negotiations. I stated my position.

I didn’t call him again. Six times, I think, he had already contacted me. Advised me, suggested it, that sort of thing. When he told me: "Alexander Grigorievich, I will not demand from the President that he give Shoigu and Gerasimov back to me, and I will not even ask for a meeting," I said. "You must stop the column. That is, he went to negotiate".

On guarantees from the President of Belarus

"The last argument was when some time after the first negotiations he says, 'Let me get the commanders together and consult.' I said, 'Sure, you consult with them, so you don't get blamed later.'

At eleven o'clock we were talking, and at five o'clock in the evening he called me and said, "Alexander Grigorievich, I accept all your conditions. But... What should I do? If we stop, they'll start pummeling us." I said, "They won't. I guarantee you. I'll take care of that."

"Up to the point where I take you out to Belarus and guarantee you complete safety. And your guys who have advanced this column here" - "Yes, I believe you. I believe you." - "All right, we'll act in that direction."

He turned the convoy around and they went to their camps in Luhansk Region. They went to the camps.

I had a word with Putin in the evening. I asked him again: "No way" - "Yes. Okay. I promised, I will do everything." He fulfilled it.

The turmoil was thus averted. Dangerous events that might have been, were removed. Security guarantees, as he said yesterday, promised, have been provided."