The criminal case, launched this weekend, against Wagner Private Military Company founder Evgeniy Prigozhin will be dropped and he will leave Russia, the Kremlin announced on Saturday evening.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov revealed that Prigozhin, a Saint Petersburg Tycoon who made his initial fortune in catering, “will go to Belarus.”

He added that Wagner’s fighters will not be persecuted, taking into account their efforts on the frontlines of the Ukraine conflict. Peskov explained that President Vladimir Putin’s team “have always respected their exploits.”

Those PMC contractors, who refused to take part in the mutiny – and whole units did not – will be allowed to sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry, Peskov stated.

The PMC group launched a major mutiny overnight, seizing control of the headquarters of Russia’s Southern Military District in the city of Rostov-on-Don, as well as advancing towards Moscow. The insurrection was stopped late on Saturday, following talks between Prigozhin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, with the PMC leader agreeing to return his units to their “field camps.”