Kremlin says mercenary chief Prigozhin met Putin after rebellion

FILE PHOTO: Wagner mercenary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin speaks inside the headquarters of the Russian southern army military command centre in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, in this still image taken from a video released June 24, 2023. Press service of "Concord"/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin on June 29, five days after the group marched towards Moscow in a short-lived rebellion.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Putin invited 35 people to the meeting, including unit commanders, and that it lasted three hours. The Wagner commanders told Putin they were his soldiers and would continue to fight for him, Peskov said.