After a short-lived rebellion in Russia, counterterrorism restrictions are being lifted in Moscow on Monday.
Over the weekend, a former ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin led a public revolt, the first of its kind in the country since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
Yevgeny Prigozhin’s show of defiance against Putin has created uncertainty and raised questions about the Russian president's grip on the war in Ukraine.
"This is a situation very much in flux," Alexander Lanoszka, assistant professor of international relations at the University of Waterloo, told CTV's Your Morning on Monday.
Lansoszka said there is now "uncertainty" in the country despite a deal that was arranged to defuse the situation, forcing the Wagner troop leader into exile in Belarus.
"That deal included security guarantees for precaution, for Prigozhin himself and those fighters who had been allied with him," Lansoszka said. "But criminal proceedings with them have not been dropped. There's still uncertainty about the whereabouts of Prigozhin."
The demonstration saw soldiers part of the Wagner Group, a private Russian military company, leave Ukraine to seize a south Russian city and march towards Moscow. The troops then turned around on Saturday after less than 24 hours. The situation shows potential fractions within Russia, Lansoszka said.
"I think most people really are confused about what's been going on precisely because the march on Moscow had ended abruptly," he said. "What we do know is that there's no coming back. This is a situation that can't be ignored."
According to Lansoszka, Putin could appear "weak" for allowing the situation to develop.
"He (Putin) seemed to have lost control, notwithstanding that he might have won this particular phase of the crisis," he said.
Morale among Russian troops could have suffered as a result, Lansoszka said, due to the fighting between Wagner Group forces and the Russian armed forces.
"This is a very volatile situation. I don't think it's over quite yet," Lansoszka said.
To watch the full interview click the video at the top of this article.
