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Is this a coup? What is Prigozhin doing in Russia? Wagner chief's 24 hours of chaos in Russia
(about 8 hours later)
Watch: Putin says the actions from mutineers are "a knife in the back of our people"Watch: Putin says the actions from mutineers are "a knife in the back of our people"
Watch: Putin says the actions from mutineers are "a knife in the back of our people"Watch: Putin says the actions from mutineers are "a knife in the back of our people"
This is a defining moment in Russia's 16-month full-scale war in Ukraine and potentially a challenge to Vladimir Putin's grip on power. For one long June night and a day, Russia's notorious mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin staged an apparent insurrection, sending an armoured convoy towards Moscow and raising questions about Vladimir Putin's grip on power.
The Russian leader has accused Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin of treason, embarking on an armed rebellion and "a stab in the back of our country". The Russian president even accused his former ally of treason, embarking on an armed rebellion and "a stab in the back of our country".
One of Russia's most important figures, Prigozhin says his aim is "not a military coup but a march for justice". But by the end of Saturday, Prigozhin had called the whole thing off and ordered his men back to base.
What is happening with the Wagner group? "In 24 hours we got to within 200km (124 miles) of Moscow. In this time we did not spill a single drop of our fighters' blood," he announced.
For months Prigozhin has played a vital role in Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, recruiting thousands to his Wagner mercenary group, especially from Russian jails. Twenty-four hours of mayhem, and so much we don't know.
He has long been in an open feud with the military chiefs running the war, but that has now turned into a revolt as they try to bring his forces under their command structure. Was the Wagner boss planning a coup?
Wagner forces have crossed from occupied eastern Ukraine into the big southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, and claim to have taken control of the city and its military facilities. Prigozhin was adamant this was "a march for justice", not a coup. Whatever it was, it came to an end very fast.
President Putin says the situation is difficult but has promised to do everything to defend Russia. For months he has played a vital role in Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, recruiting thousands to his Wagner mercenary group, especially from Russian jails.
Is this a coup? He has long been in a public feud with the military chiefs running the war, but that turned into open revolt as they sought to bring his forces under their command structure by 1 July.
All claims of a military coup are absurd, claims Prigozhin.
But what began as a no-holds-barred row over the military's failure to supply his mercenaries with sufficient kit and ammunition has now spilled over into a direct challenge to the two men in charge of prosecuting the war - Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and armed forces chief Valery Gerasimov.
So far this is not a coup, as there has been no stated bid to seize power from the government. Prigozhin's "private military company" does not represent the military either, although he does claim to have widespread support in the armed forces.
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Wagner mercenaries seize Russian city's military HQ
But it is an attempt to topple Russia's top brass and therefore a challenge to the president's authority. And even though it was Russia's leader who allowed Prigozhin to develop his rival force, he clearly has no control of him any more.
The Kremlin is taking this extremely seriously. The whole Moscow region has been put on an alert under a strict "counter-terrorist operation regime" and major events have been cancelled.
File pic of Yevgeny Prigozhin with mercenaries in UkraineFile pic of Yevgeny Prigozhin with mercenaries in Ukraine
Similar measures are in place in the Voronezh region near Ukraine's north-eastern border. Wagner fighters crossed from occupied eastern Ukraine into the big southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, then moved up the main motorway via Voronezh, en route to Moscow.
"There are 25,000 of us," Prigozhin claimed. "Everyone who wants, join us." That is not enough to threaten the president but it is a challenge to the military leadership. It felt like a defining moment in Russia's 16-month full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But as the Wagner convoy headed north, there came news of a deal, bizarrely brokered by Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko.
Moving his forces across the border into Rostov, he claimed control of the military HQ from where the war is being run, and videos showed his men in the centre of the city apparently encountering no resistance. Few believe the story is as simple as that, but if the Kremlin is right this may be the end of Prigozhin's role in the war and in Russia itself.
He denies betraying Russia, and in an outspoken criticism of the president, says he is "deeply wrong". He is heading to Belarus and will not face criminal charges, says the Kremlin. His fighters have been promised an amnesty. Was it entirely bloodless? That is unclear as at least one military helicopter was shot down.
What does Prigozhin want? And where this leaves Vladimir Putin is another matter.
His idea of a "march for justice" is vague but his row with the military leadership has clearly escalated so fast he wants to force them out. Wagner vs Russia's military chiefs
A video has emerged of Prigozhin telling a deputy defence minister and a general in Rostov on Friday that until the two main military figures come and talk to him, his mercenaries will block off the city and head for Moscow. Prigozhin has raged and ranted for months at Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and armed forces chief Valery Gerasimov about their failure to supply his mercenaries with sufficient kit and ammunition.
There are reports of a military helicopter being shot down and of a Wagner convoy heading north up the M4 motorway in the Voronezh region north of Rostov. When President Putin backed their deadline to bring all mercenary groups fighting in Ukraine to sign defence ministry contracts, he refused, seeing it as a challenge to his influence.
Prigozhin's quarrel is not with Russian soldiers in Ukraine, but with the "clowns" leading them, he argues. Several generals have appealed for him to calm down, but that seems too late. In a lengthy tirade on 23 June he told Russians the whole justification for their war was a lie and merely an excuse for "a small group of scumbags" to promote themselves and deceive the public and president.
What is the relationship between Putin and Prigozhin? Then came an extraordinary escalation in their dispute.
Prigozhin has long been a close ally of President Putin and has flourished under him, first as a wealthy businessman and then as a mercenary chief.
What is Russia's Wagner Group of mercenaries?
His Wagner fighters have died in big numbers in the bitter campaign to seize Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, which lasted months and was never fully achieved. Prigozhin blamed the military top brass for shell shortages, with graphic videos and expletive-ridden social media rants exposing the failings and the fractures of Russia's military in Ukraine.
Until this point he never directly targeted his anger at the president. But his sarcastic references to "happy grandfather" were widely seen as indirect criticism. Last month he asked how Russia could win if it turned out that "this grandfather is a complete arsehole".
Prigozhin has directed a series of expletive-laden rants at the top brassPrigozhin has directed a series of expletive-laden rants at the top brass
Earlier this month President Putin supported a move by Sergei Shoigu to have all mercenary groups in Ukraine sign defence ministry contracts by 1 July. Prigozhin has refused, seeing it as a challenge to his influence. Prigozhin accused the military of staging a deadly attack on his men in Ukraine. The military denied launching a strike and the video he produced as evidence revealed nothing.
In a lengthy tirade on 23 June he told Russians that the whole justification for their war was a lie and merely an excuse for "a small group of scumbags" to promote themselves and deceive the public and president. Late on Friday he announced his "march for justice" was under way.
Events have moved very quickly since then. "There are 25,000 of us and we are going to find out why there is such chaos in the country," Prigozhin exclaimed. "Everyone who wants, join us."
Military sites in Rostov seized
Prigozhin accused the military of staging a deadly shelling on his men in Ukraine, but the military denied it and he failed to produce the kind of evidence he often does.
Late on Friday he announced his "march for justice" was under way. His force of 25,000 would be just a "tactical reserve" and the whole of the army and the whole country would be their strategic reserve.
Gen Sergei Surovikin, deputy commander of forces in Ukraine, appealed to him to step back and submit to President Putin's authority.Gen Sergei Surovikin, deputy commander of forces in Ukraine, appealed to him to step back and submit to President Putin's authority.
But by morning Prigozhin's men had reached Rostov: "We are inside [military] headquarters." He later said they had taken the city "without a shot". Moving his forces across the border into Rostov-on-Don overnight, he claimed control of the military HQ from where the war is being run, and videos showed his men in the centre of the city apparently encountering no resistance.
Wagner fighters are also said to have seized military facilities in Voronezh, further north towards Moscow, and videos have shown a convoy of vehicles heading north on the M4 towards Moscow. By Saturday morning he declared: "We are inside [military] headquarters." The city, he said later, had been taken "without a shot".
A serious moment for Putin and Russia Follow live updates
This is not a direct challenge to Russia's war in Ukraine and Prigozhin has maintained he is not disputing the president's leadership. Russia's FSB security service then opened a criminal case. The entire Moscow region was put on an alert under a strict "counter-terrorist operation regime", as was Voronezh halfway up the M4 motorway from Rostov.
But it is sufficiently serious for the Russian leader to give a determined and uncompromising five-minute televised address. Putin's televised address
Prigozhin has threatened to head towards Moscow if his military demands are not met. What happens if he follows through with that? On Saturday morning, looking stern and determined, Vladimir Putin gave a five-minute address on state-run TV and appealed for unity.
At the very least, Vladimir Putin looks like a leader who has lost control of a fast-moving situation. "What we are facing is precisely treason," he told the nation. Without naming his former ally, he said those behind the military mutiny had betrayed Russia and would answer for it.
Prigozhin has substantial public support in Russia and, even if his challenge does fall apart, this has become a moment of crisis for a military that has relied on his mercenaries in Ukraine. Prigozhin quickly denied betraying his country, and then went on to criticise the president as "deeply wrong".
It is also a defining moment for the Putin leadership and a wake-up call for Russians. It is too soon to say how it will end. Until this point he had never directly targeted his anger at Mr Putin.
But his sarcastic references to "happy grandfather" were widely seen as indirect criticism. Last month he asked how Russia could win if it turned out that "this grandfather is a complete arsehole".
Columns of armoured Wagner vehicles were soon seen heading up the motorway through Voronezh region and further north into Lipetsk too.
A fuel depot was set alight `by an airstrike in Voronezh, although it was not clear why.
A challenge to Putin's rule?
Prigozhin was adamant he was not challenging Russia's war in Ukraine, just the "clowns" in charge of it.
He also maintained he was not disputing the president's leadership, even though he threatened to head towards Moscow if his military demands were not met.
For several hours Vladimir Putin looked like a leader who had lost control of a fast-moving situation.
Then, on Saturday evening, came word from Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko - another close ally of Mr Putin - of a deal.
Prigozhin would leave for Belarus and avoid criminal charges. He was later seen leaving Rostov in a car.
His Wagner fighters would escape prosecution and those who wanted to could sign contracts with the defence ministry.
Where does this leave Putin?
On the face of it, he looks weakened, outmanoeuvred by Prigozhin and president of a country where chaos reigned for a full day.
And relying on the leader of Belarus to save the day looks awkward. It was Russia that propped up Mr Lukashenko when protesters brought his country to a standstill in 2020, after an election widely viewed as rigged.
The Ukrainian presidency said he had been left humiliated.
But there is another view too, that Russians have now seen the alternative to a Putin presidency and for several hours it looked like anarchy.
The military has also found a way of bringing under its control a potentially combustible force of 25,000 mercenaries. That still has to play out, but their turbulent leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is out of the picture.
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