- Putin didn't punish Wagner boss for his uprising as he needs his fighters, a retired US general told CNN.
- Yevgeny Prigozhin was due to go into exile, but the Kremlin now says he met with Putin in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin can't jail Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, despite his recent uprising, because he "can't afford to lose" the mercenary group leader, a retired US General said.
Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling told CNN on Monday that many would have expected Prigozhin to be jailed after his short-lived mutiny last month, when his forces took over the military headquarters in a key Russian city and started to march on Moscow.
Instead, Prigozhin was invited to go into exile in Belarus, and on Monday the Kremlin said that Putin had met face-to-face with Prigozhin on June 29.
During that meeting, according to a Kremlin spokesperson, Putin offered Wagner commanders "further options for employment and further use in combat," while Prigozhin pledged his loyalty to Putin.
Hertling said that Prigozhin is too valuable to Putin to be jailed, pointing out that Prigozhin is the head of a "worldwide, global private military company."
"They are in several continents, attacking in several countries: Syria, the Middle East, in Africa. So Mr. Putin can't afford to lose this guy," he added.
Hertling said that Prigozhin has "such charisma and such sway over a large percent of forces that's helping the Russian government in various countries."
Hertling also said the meeting between Putin and Prigozhin was likely "an attempt to get [Prigozhin] back on board."
But he noted that there is "confusion," with the Wagner Group "being dispersed and, in fact, sort of broken up."
The Wagner uprising came after months of public feuding between Prigozhin and Russian military officials, including Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the Chief of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov.
After the group's mini mutiny, Wagner fighters in Russia were given the choice of going into exile in neighboring Belarus, joining Russia's traditional army, or going home.
It's also not clear how Prigozhin is currently viewed by Wagner fighters.
A Russian prisoners' rights activist said some fighters view him as a traitor for calling off the uprising. And an ex-Wagner fighter who defected to the Russian army described Prigozhin as a "cocky idiot" who pitted soldiers against each other for personal gain, according to the Moscow Times.
Experts also said that Putin doesn't appear to be sure what to do about Prigozhin, and is showing increasing signs of paranoia.