In his first remarks since the conclusion of the Wagner rebellion, Russian president Vladimir Putin offered to reintegrate the vast majority of the Wagner troops into the Russian military apparatus but promised that the organizers would be brought to justice.

On Friday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the Wagner mercenaries, turned his attention away from the front and began a stunning incursion into Russia itself. Wagner troops were seen occupying Rostov-on-Don, a key logistics hub in the south of Russia, and a Wagner column was making its way toward the capital. Prigozhin railed against the military leadership but ultimately decided to turn back after reaching a deal brokered by Belarus president Aleksandr Lukashenko.

According to Putin, in remarks translated from Russian, “any kind of blackmail is doomed to fail,” and the key Russian stakeholders united to support the constitutional order. “All the necessary decisions were taken in light of this danger,” Putin said of Prigozhin’s rebellion.

Near the beginning of the rebellion, the Kremlin promised criminal charges against those participating in the march to Moscow. While there were suggestions criminal charges against those who participated would be dropped as part of the deal, Putin only took a conciliatory tone to the Wagner soldiers dragged into the rebellion by its organizers, as the Russian president put it.

“The organizers of this rebellion cannot but understand that they’ll be brought to justice. Everybody understands that. This is criminal activity which is weakening the country. This was a colossal threat.” explained Putin.

“The organizers of this rebellion have betrayed the people who were dragged into this organization and this kind of suicide is precisely what the neo-Nazis in Kyiv and the West wanted. They wanted Russian soldiers should kill each other,” said Putin, continuing to justify his illegal invasion of Ukraine through unsubstantiated claims Ukraine is led by fascist elements.

“They tried to take revenge for their failure on the front but they slipped up. They made a mistake,” Putin said of those who participated in the column’s advance. “At the same time we know that the overwhelming majority of the Wagner company are also patriots of Russia. They have shown their courage in defending Donbas and yet were encouraged to fight against their compatriots.”

“By turning back they avoided further bloodshed,” said Putin, echoing Prigozhin’s own comments on why the Wagner rebellion turned around.

“I urge everybody to make contact with Ministry of Defense or go back to their homes,” said Putin, adding that going to Belarus is another option on the table.

“It will be the choice of the warriors of Russia who have acknowledged their fault,” Putin concluded.

Putin made no mention of concessions made to Prigozhin and the Wagner Group, nor did he acknowledge any changes to the Russian military leadership.