Earlier, Moscow deployed soldiers in preparation for their arrival and told residents to avoid going out. On Saturday night, Wagner fighters loaded tanks on trailers and began withdrawing from the Rostov military headquarters they had seized, a Reuters witness said. The office of Alexander Lukashenko said the decision to halt further movement of Wagner fighters was brokered by the Belarusian president, with Putin's approval, in return for guarantees for their safety. Residents of the city had milled about calmly, filming on mobile phones as Wagner fighters in armoured vehicles and battle tanks took up positions. He said the area had been under Russian control since separatist forces backed by Moscow took control of it in 2014.

Source: New York Times June 24, 2023 11:40 UTC