THE exile of a Russian mercenary leader ended a revolt after an intervention by the president of neighbouring Belarus at the weekend.

The challenge to the Russian state fizzled out after rebellious mercenary commander Yevgeny Prigozhin, who had ordered his troops to march on Moscow, abruptly reached a deal with the Kremlin to go into exile and sounded the retreat.

But Wagner Group soldiers had been able to move unimpeded into the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and advance hundreds of miles towards Moscow. 

The deal to end the rebellion was brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Mr Prigozhin will go to neighbouring Belarus, which has supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and charges against him of mounting an armed rebellion will be dropped.

The government also said that it would not prosecute Wagner fighters who took part, while those who did not join in were to be offered contracts by the Defence Ministry. 

Mr Prigozhin ordered his troops back to their field camps in Ukraine, where they have been fighting alongside Russian regular soldiers.

Mr Prigozhin, who sent out a series of audio and video updates during his revolt, has gone silent since the Kremlin announced that the deal had been brokered for him to end his march and leave Russia.

President Putin had vowed earlier to punish those behind the armed uprising led by his former protege. In a televised speech to the nation, he called the rebellion a “betrayal” and “treason.”

Mr Prigozhin had demanded the removal of Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, whom the mercenary leader has criticised in withering terms for his conduct of the “special military operation” in Ukraine.

There has been no news on whether Mr Putin has agreed to the removal of Mr Shoigu from his post.

In announcing the rebellion, Mr Prigozhin accused Russian forces of targeting the Wagner camps in Ukraine with rockets, helicopter gunships and artillery. 

He alleged that General Valery Gerasimov, chief of the general staff, had ordered the attacks following a meeting with Mr Shoigu in which they decided to destroy the military contractor.

The Defence Ministry has denied attacking the Wagner camps.

Wagner troops have played a crucial role in the Ukraine war, capturing the eastern city of Bakhmut, an area where the bloodiest and longest battles have taken place. 

Mr Prigozhin is known to have long-standing close ties to President Putin. 

Wagner has sent military contractors to Libya, Syria and several African countries, as well as Ukraine.