Putin holds meeting with ex-Wagner commander Andrei Troshev

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently held a meeting with Andrei Troshev, a former top commander of the Wagner mercenary group, who now reportedly works for the defense ministry, according to the Kremlin. Troshev, who previously served as an aide to late Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, was tasked by Putin to oversee volunteer fighter units in Ukraine. Putin emphasized the importance of these units carrying out various combat tasks, primarily in the area of a special military operation. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Troshev currently works in the defense ministry. This meeting takes place as Putin seeks to reassert his authority in the aftermath of Wagner's mutiny in June. During the mutiny, Prigozhin led troops into Rostov, then pushed toward Moscow before ultimately retreating. This event posed a significant challenge to Putin's authority, being the largest in the last twenty years. Consequently, last month, the president called on all Wagner and other Russian private military contractors to pledge their allegiance to the Russian state. Known by his alias Sedoi, which means "the one with grey hair," Troshev is a highly respected veteran of Russia's involvement in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Syria. He was recognized for his role as a Wagner commander supporting government forces in Syria, receiving the Hero of Russia Award in 2015 and 2016. Prigozhin, along with nine others, died in a plane crash near Moscow on August 23. Following the failed mutiny, Prigozhin was often referred to as a "dead man walking." The Kremlin has denied any involvement in these events.