Days after Wagner chief Prigozhin's reported death, Putin demands mercenaries swear allegiance to Russia

WASHINGTON — Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Friday requiring each mercenaries to curse allegiance to Russia, a revelation that comes connected the heels of Wagner brag Yevgeny Prigozhin's reported death.

The destiny of the Wagner Group – a backstage Russian subject institution with ties to conflicts successful Africa, Syria and Ukraine – has been uncertain since a short-lived revolt successful June.

Prigozhin marched his Wagner mercenaries connected Moscow pursuing months of frustrations stemming from a deficiency of Russian battlefield successes successful Ukraine. The rebellion was softly called disconnected betwixt Putin and his once-personal-chef Prigozhin and the ex-Kremlin confidant was exiled to Belarus.

Read more: Putin says Prigozhin ‘made superior mistakes’ successful archetypal remarks since level clang that apt killed the Wagner boss

On Thursday, Putin issued quick, impersonal remarks to the families progressive successful the plane crash that is believed to person killed Prigozhin and apical Wagner officers. The doomed formation from Moscow to St. Petersburg has been described arsenic Putin's "public execution" of Prigozhin.

The Kremlin has denied immoderate engagement successful the downing of the plane.

Putin said an probe into what happened to the backstage pitchy was already underway.

Russian investigators said the recognition of the 10 individuals recovered astatine the clang tract was being carried out. Additionally, the formation recorders from the craft were retrieved and undergoing forensic testing.

Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said that helium made nary information guarantees to Prigozhin pursuing the Wagner mutiny successful Russia but added that Putin was not down the level crash.

"I cannot ideate that Putin did it, that Putin is to blasted for this," Lukashenko said.

The Pentagon said Thursday that archetypal quality indicates that the Wagner main died successful the Wednesday level crash.

"It's apt Prigozhin was killed and we're continuing to measure the situation," said U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Pat Ryder during a Pentagon briefing.

"The property reporting stating that determination was immoderate benignant of surface-to-air missile; we measure that accusation to beryllium inaccurate," Ryder said, declining to elaborate further.

CNBC and NBC News person not confirmed Prigozhin's death.