Following the Wagner Group's aborted mutiny, Russian President Vladimir Putin disclosed that he proposed allowing the mercenaries to continue their service under the same command structure. In an interview published in the Kommersant business daily, Putin revealed details of a three-hour meeting held on June 29th with 35 Wagner commanders, including leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. During the discussion, Putin addressed the group's actions in Ukraine, the attempted rebellion, which he had publicly labeled as treason, and potential avenues for their continued service.

One of the options presented by Putin was for Wagner to remain operational under the leadership of their existing commander, known by the call sign "Gray Hair," who had overseen the mercenaries' operations in Ukraine for the preceding 16 months. Putin stated, "All of them could have gathered in one place and continued to serve. And nothing would have changed for them. They would have been led by the same person who had been their real commander all along." According to Putin, several Wagner commanders indicated their agreement, but Prigozhin, who was seated at the front and unable to see their reactions, swiftly declined the offer, claiming that his troops wouldn't accept such an arrangement.

The Russian president refrained from disclosing the specifics of any final agreement reached with Wagner. Previously, Putin had stated that Wagner fighters were required to choose between integrating into the Russian Defense Ministry, seeking exile in Belarus, or retiring from service. He also pointed out the ambiguous legal status of Wagner, remarking, "There is no law on private military organizations. It simply doesn’t exist." Putin added that the government and parliament had yet to address the issue of private military contractors.

In the aftermath of the mutiny, Putin sought to discredit Prigozhin, asserting that the Russian populace did not support the seizure of Rostov-on-Don and the subsequent march towards Moscow. However, these claims appear to contradict the seemingly amicable scenes witnessed during Wagner's bloodless takeover of the southern city, which also houses the headquarters of the Russian southern military district command. Prigozhin has consistently maintained that his actions were not directed against Putin but rather against top military officials, including Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov, whom he accuses of mistreating Wagner forces in Ukraine.

The mutiny, which Prigozhin termed a "march for justice," encountered minimal resistance, with Wagner fighters downing several military aircraft and resulting in casualties. The rebellion was purportedly brought to an end through the mediation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who brokered a deal between Prigozhin and Putin. The precise terms of this agreement remain undisclosed. The Russian Defense Ministry recently announced that Wagner forces were in the process of transferring their weapons to the Russian military, a move seen as an attempt to mitigate the threat posed by the mercenary group and potentially signaling the end of their operations in Ukraine's ongoing counteroffensive.