Russian President Vladimir Putin met mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin after the failed Wagner group mutiny last month, the Kremlin says.

Prigozhin, who heads the mercenary group, was among 35 Wagner commanders invited to the meeting in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added. …

“The president gave an assessment of the company’s actions on the front,” Mr Peskov is quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.

“He also gave assessment to the 24 June events. Putin listened to the commanders’ explanations and suggested variants of their future employment and their future use in combat.”

[YGBFKM. What in the world is a-goin’ on in Moscow? Why would Putin allow Prigozhin off the hook after such a rebellion, and then take a meeting with him and allow Prigozhin to leave it alive? Either Putin is on much shakier ground than we think, or he and Prigozhin have some strange strategy going on. Even if it’s the latter, though, that doesn’t make it *smart* — Ed]