June 24, 2023 - Wagner head says group standing down

Our coverage of the Wagner insurrection in Russia has moved here.

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will hold an emergency meeting of his Security Council on Sunday, his office has said, hours after he called for “law and order” in Russia.

“The head of the government will hear reports from the prime minister (and) heads of the security forces about taking course measures connected to the situation in Russia,” Tokayev’s office wrote on Twitter, adding an “action plan is expected to be adopted to neutralize possible negative consequences linked to the situation in the neighboring friendly country impacting the security of citizens of Kazakhstan and the economy of our country.”

The announcement comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin called Tokayev to brief him on the situation in Russia. 

Tokayev noted the events are an “internal affair” of Russia and called for the resumption of law and order.  

Russian President Vladimir Putin has suffered “a mortal blow,” according to a retired US general, despite the apparent deal that will see Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin leave for Belarus.

“There are two existential fights going on in this Russia-Ukraine war,” said retired US Army Brig. Gen. Peter Zwack.

“One is the viability of the survival, the existence, of a free-minded Ukrainian state. The other is inside the Kremlin and the viability of the Putin regime.”

He called the events that unfolded on the streets of Russia over the past 36 hours “extraordinary,” adding there is a “narrative getting out to the mainstream population that this invasion of Ukraine was wrong.”

Zwack said: “And I think in this aspect, the information is that Russia’s Putin’s bodyguard of lies is collapsing as we watch.”

A retired major in the the US Army said there are many questions to be asked about the future facing Wagner fighters after their short-lived uprising.

“They’re an independent fighting company. They were given better rations. They dressed differently,” said Major Mike Lyons (Ret.) US Army. 

“I don’t think they’ll be easily assimilated into the Russian military and sent back to the front there. So I think there is going to be an issue.”

He added: “Maybe some will splinter off. Maybe some will decide to defect and provide information to Ukraine. Those people are loyal to the man, Prigozhin, not to the country, not to the mission. I think we’ve got a lot more questions that are not answered right now.”

Earlier Saturday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Wagner fighters will not face legal action for taking part in the march toward Moscow, saying that the Kremlin has “always respected their heroic deeds” on the front lines in Ukraine. 

The United States has not seen a change to Russia’s nuclear posture since Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin began his insurrection challenging the Kremlin’s leadership, two US officials told CNN. 

“We have not seen any changes in the disposition of Russian nuclear forces,” a State Department spokesperson said, adding that the US has “no reason to adjust our conventional or nuclear force posture. We have long-standing, established communication channels with Russia on nuclear issues.”

President Putin has repeatedly engaged in nuclear saber-rattling over the course of the Ukraine war. Putin said earlier this month that the first tactical nuclear weapons to be stored in Belarus had arrived. US President Joe Biden called the move “absolutely irresponsible.”

The US has continued to monitor Russia’s nuclear posture throughout the Ukraine War despite Russia this year suspending participation in the single lasting nuclear arms control treaty between the US and Russia. This has meant that the two nations are no longer sharing certain notifications with one another which were required under the treaty, including updates on the status or location of treaty-accountable items such as missiles and launchers. 

“As a nuclear power, Russia has a special responsibility to maintain command, control, and custody of its nuclear forces and to ensure that no actions are taken that imperil strategic stability,” the State Department spokesperson said. 

And as the US continues to monitor the situation in Russia the US diplomatic presence in the country has remain unchanged. 

“Our embassy in Moscow remains open, we are in regular communication with it, and its operating posture remains the same at this time,” the spokesperson said. 

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, condemned the actions of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in a Telegram post on Saturday, saying, “bloodshed could have happened.” 

Kadyrov added that “extreme measures” would have been needed to stop any Wagner rebellion requiring “harsh suppression and destruction of anyone who encroaches on the integrity of the Russian Federation.”

Condemning Prigozhin for his actions over the last 24 hours, Kadyrov said: “The arrogance of one person could lead to such dangerous consequences and draw a large number of people into the conflict,” he added. 

Kadyrov blamed Prigozhin for “mixing business ambitions with matters of national importance.” 

Some context: Chechen State media Grozny reported earlier Saturday that “3,000 fighters of elite units were sent from Chechnya, and they have been holding their positions since early morning ready to fulfill any order of Russian President Vladimir Putin.” 

Russian President Vladimir Putin “doesn’t forgive traitors,” said former CNN Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty.

Even though Putin has told Prigozhin to go to Belarus, according to the Kremlin, the Wagner chief remains a “traitor,” Dougherty told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Saturday.

“I think Putin will never ever forgive that,” she added. “I think it is a real dilemma because as long as Prigozhin is acting the way he does and has some type of support, he is a threat. Regardless of where he is.”

Dougherty said the turmoil and chaos that transpired on the streets of Russia did not make Putin look like the strongman leader he has positioned himself to be.

“Why are average Russians on the street cheering people trying to carry our a coup? That means that maybe they support them but they might like them. Whatever it is, it is really bad news for Putin.”

All restrictions on highways in Russia have been lifted, Russian state media TASS reported, citing a Sunday statement from Russia’s Federal Road Agency.  

On Saturday, Avtodor, the company that operates Russian highways, had advised drivers to avoid the M-4, a major highway in southern Russia, as reports swirled that convoys of Wagner fighters were using the road.

Earlier in the day, TASS reported that car traffic had been blocked on the M-4 highway past Rostov-on-Don towards Aksay.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened a group of key senior government officials Saturday to discuss the evolving internal security situation playing out in Russia, a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister reads.

The Incident Response Group “discussed ongoing coordination with international partners, and assessed the implications for Canadians and Canadian personnel,” the statement said.

Trudeau’s office continues to monitor the situation in Russia very closely and maintains contact with the country’s allies and partners, the statement added.

New videos show Wagner private military chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and his forces leaving the Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don in southwestern Russia after announcing that his forces will turn around from a march toward Moscow.

Prigozhin has reached an apparent deal with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, but the Kremlin have only provided scant details about the agreement.

If you’re just now reading in, here’s what you should know:

Prigozhin will be sent to Belarus: Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Prigozhin has “the word” of Russian President Vladimir Putin that he will be able to leave and go to Belarus. Though Prigozhin was seen leaving Rostov-on-Don, his current whereabouts are unknown.

Case against Prigozhin will be dropped: Peskov also revealed that Lukashenko was able to draw on a personal relationship with Prigozhin to broker the deal, which includes any criminal charges against Prigozhin to be dropped.

Wagner fighters will return to base: Peskov said the fighters will sign contracts with the Russian Ministry of Defense and will not face legal action for taking part in the march, adding that the Kremlin has “always respected their heroic deeds” on the front lines.

What others are saying: Former Russian member of Parliament Sergey Markov told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that Prigozhin was never a threat to Putin, citing Putin’s popularity now being at “about 80%.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro threw his support behind Putin on Saturday and condemned Wagner’s actions, saying that he rejected “any violent or unconstitutional change of power or uprising.”

Meanwhile, the leaders of UK, US, France and Germany spoke earlier in day to discuss the situation in Russia and reiterated their continuing support for Ukrainian sovereignty, a spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said. Foreign ministers for the G7 countries have also been in contact, the spokesperson added.

The US State Department said Secretary of State Antony Blinken also called Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau to discuss the situation.

Ukraine’s reaction: Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said Prigozhin’s escalation “almost nullified” Putin and criticized Prigozhin for “suddenly” turning his forces around. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his nightly address, claimed Putin is “very afraid,” saying that the Russian president is “probably hiding somewhere, not showing himself.”

How we got here: Prigozhin on Friday accused Russia’s military of attacking a Wagner camp and killing a “huge amount” of his men. He vowed to retaliate with force, insinuating that his forces would “destroy” any resistance, including roadblocks and aircraft.

By Saturday, Igor Artamonov, governor of the southwestern Russian region of Lipetsk, said Wagner equipment was moving across the region’s territory. Russian military also carried out “combat measures” in the southern Russia city of Voronezh, the region’s governor said, in light of Prigozhin’s claim Saturday to have seized control of key military facilities in the Voronezh and Rostov regions.

What else is going on: Ukrainian forces launched simultaneous counteroffensives in multiple directions, according to Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar. She said that “there is progress in all directions” without giving any further detail.

Earlier Saturday, Ukraine claimed it had taken back territory in the east that was held by Russia since it annexed Crimea in 2014. Ukrainian forces claim to have taken the area prior to the apparent Wagner insurrection but only announced it Saturday. CNN cannot independently verify battlefield reports. 

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke earlier Saturday to discuss the situation in Russia and reiterate their continuing support for Ukrainian sovereignty, a spokesman for the UK prime minister said in a statement.

Their meeting followed a call between G7 foreign ministers, which the UK foreign secretary participated in earlier Saturday, the spokesman said.

The leaders spoke before Wagner private military company chief Yevgeny Prigozhin announced he had ordered his mercenary fighters to halt their advance on Moscow and turn back. 

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner paramilitary group, led his forces in an insurrection Saturday and took control of a key military facility in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.

By Saturday evening, Prigozhin announced his forces were stopping their advance toward Moscow after striking an apparent deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Here’s a look at what happened Saturday:

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine’s Presidential Administration, said Wagner private military company boss Yevgeny Prigozhin’s escalation “almost nullified” Russian President Vladimir Putin, and criticized Prigozhin for turning his forces around from a march toward Moscow and reaching an apparent deal.

“Prigozhin’s phenomenal choice… You almost nullified Putin, took control of the central authorities, reached Moscow and suddenly… you retreat,” Podolyak said in a tweet posted in English. “Because one very specific intermediary with a dubious reputation #Lukashenko promised security guarantees from the person #Putin who ordered to destroy you in the morning. And for the fear that the Putin elite has experienced in the past 24 hours, this order will certainly be executed.”  

He added, “Although not without benefit: #Prigozhin humiliated Putin/the state and showed that there is no longer a monopoly on violence.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Saturday he was unaware of the current whereabouts of Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Asked during a press briefing about Prigozhin’s whereabouts after he struck a deal to call off his march on Moscow and leave for Belarus, Peskov said, “No, I don’t know.”

Peskov also said he “cannot answer the question” of what position Prigozhin will take in Belarus and what he will be doing there.

A new video posted on Telegram and geolocated and confirmed by CNN showed Prigozhin leaving a Russian military headquarters in the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday called Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau to discuss the situation in Russia, according to statements from State Department.

Blinken reiterated that the US will stay in close coordination with allies and partners as the situation develops. He also underscored that US support for Ukraine will not change.

What we know: Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin on Friday accused Russia’s military of attacking a Wagner camp and killing a “huge amount” of his men. He vowed to retaliate with force, insinuating that his forces would “destroy” any resistance, including roadblocks and aircraft.

By Saturday, Prigozhin announced that he was turning his forces around from a march toward Moscow shortly after the Belarusian government claimed President Alexander Lukashenko had reached a deal with Prigozhin to halt the advance. Prigozhin said the move was in accordance with an unspecified plan and intended to avoid Russian bloodshed.

Wagner private military company boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has left Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don in southwestern Russia, new video shows.

The video, posted to Telegram, and geolocated and authenticated by CNN, shows Prigozhin sitting in the backseat of a vehicle. Crowds cheer and the vehicle comes to a stop as an individual approaches it and shakes Prigozhin’s hand. 

He is heard saying “All the best” to the people gathered before the vehicle drives off. 

Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti quoted an unnamed eyewitness that said Prigozhin left the headquarters “with the fighters.” 

It’s the first time Prigozhin has been seen in public since he announced that his troops would “turn back” from Moscow and return to “field camps.” It is unclear where Prigozhin is currently en route to, but per the apparent deal, he is expected to be sent to Belarus and not face any criminal charges.

The video follows other clips posted to Telegram, also geolocated and authenticated by CNN, that show Wagner forces withdrawing from their positions at the military headquarters, crowds surrounding a Wagner vehicle convoy and people cheering the forces after it was announced they would turn back.

Before the Wagner forces were seen leaving, video from Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti showed a Russian military police vehicle arriving at the military headquarters.

Former Russian member of Parliament Sergey Markov described Wagner private military company boss Yevgeny Prigozhin as “extremely aggressive” but said he was never a threat to Putin.

“They support Prigozhin fighting against Ukrainian army but not against Vladimir Putin,” Markov told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour late Saturday local time, citing Putin’s popularity now being at “about 80%.”

Markov said that it was “really good news” that Prigozhin had ordered Wagner mercenary columns to turn back from an advance toward Moscow, adding that “a lot of Moscow are happy about this.”  

Markov told Amanpour that he had been expecting a deal like the one allegedly negotiated by Belarusian President Lukashenko to happen, as both Russian sides in the conflict were “in a deadlock.”

“That’s why a lot of Russian militarists see Wagner fighters not as enemies but as real heroes because they don’t want to take part in the military clashes between them,” Markov said.

In a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov provided details about what he described as an agreement struck with Yevgeny Prigozhin, the boss of the Wagner private military company, to halt a march of his forces toward Moscow.

“An agreement was reached on the return of PMC Wagner to their locations. Part of those who will wish to do so, will sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense — this concerns those who did not take part in the march, indeed, there were such formations which, from the very beginning, changed their minds and returned. They even requested to be escorted by the traffic police and other assistance in order to return to their permanent locations,” he said.

Wagner fighters will not face legal action for taking part in the march, Peskov added, saying that the Kremlin has “always respected their heroic deeds” on the front lines in Ukraine.

Prighozhin has provided scant details about his agreement to about-face. Peskov said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko was able to draw on a personal relationship with Prigozhin to broker the deal. 

“The fact is that Alexander Grigoryevich [Lukashenko] has known Prigozhin personally for a long time, for about 20 years,” Peskov said. “And it was his personal proposal, which was agreed with Putin. We are grateful to the President of Belarus for these efforts.”

Earlier this month, Prigozhin had refused to sign contracts with Russia’s Defense Ministry, rejecting an attempt to bring his force in line. The defense ministry said that “volunteer units” and private military groups would be required to sign a contract.

Criminal charges against Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin will be dropped and he will be sent to neighboring Belarus, according to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

“You will ask me what will happen to Prigozhin personally?” Peskov said in a conference call with reporters Saturday. “The criminal case will be dropped against him. He himself will go to Belarus.”

Peskov’s office later added in a text message to journalists that Prigozhin has a guarantee from Russian President Vladimir Putin to leave the country as part of the deal brokered to halt the march of Wagner forces toward Moscow.

“If you ask what kind of guarantee there is that Prigozhin will be able to leave for Belarus, this is the word of the President of Russia,” Peskov’s office said. “The counter-terrorist operation regime will be lifted in the nearest future.”

Earlier Saturday, the Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee announced the introduction of a “counter-terrorist operation regime” in Moscow, as well as the Moscow region and Voronezh region. Moscow’s mayor also declared Monday a “non-working day.”

After previously refusing to surrender, Wagner private military company chief Yevgeny Prigozhin announced his forces were turning around from a march toward Moscow.

The announcement comes as the Belarusian government claimed President Alexander Lukashenko had reached a deal with the Wagner boss to halt the march of his forces on Moscow. Prigozhin said the move was in accordance with an unspecified plan and intended to avoid Russian bloodshed.

If you’re just now reading in, here’s what you should know:

How we got here: Prigozhin on Friday accused Russia’s military of attacking a Wagner camp and killing a “huge amount” of his men. He vowed to retaliate with force, insinuating that his forces would “destroy” any resistance, including roadblocks and aircraft.

By Saturday, Igor Artamonov, governor of the southwestern Russian region of Lipetsk, said Wagner equipment was moving across the region’s territory. Russian military also carried out “combat measures” in the southern Russia city of Voronezh, the region’s governor said, in light of Prigozhin’s claim Saturday to have seized control of key military facilities in the Voronezh and Rostov regions.

Precautions taken: Artamonov said authorities in Lipetsk were “taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the population” as he implied that roads had been dug up by Wagner fighters. In Moscow, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that a “counter-terrorist regime” was declared in the city and also declared Monday a “non-working day.” Russian authorities earlier offered amnesty to Wagner mercenaries who agreed to lay down their arms, a lawmaker from the State Duma told Russian state media TASS on Saturday.

What others are saying: Former Russian President and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who currently serves as the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, accused Wagner of a “staged coup d’état,” Russian state media RIA Novosti reported on Saturday. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden and allies reaffirmed their “unwavering support for Ukraine” in a call with leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom Saturday about the situation in Russia.

Since Prigozhin’s announcement to stand down, Putin and Lukashenko had a phone call to discuss “the results of negotiations” with Prigozhin, according to the Belarusian presidential press service. Putin thanked Lukashenko, the press service said.

Ukraine’s reaction: In his nightly address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed Putin is “very afraid,” saying that the Russian president is “probably hiding somewhere, not showing himself.”

What else is going on: Ukrainian forces launched simultaneous counteroffensives in multiple directions, according to Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar. She said that “there is progress in all directions” without giving any further detail.

Earlier Saturday, Ukraine claimed it had taken back territory in the east that was held by Russia since it annexed Crimea in 2014. Ukrainian forces claim to have taken the area prior to the apparent Wagner insurrection but only announced it Saturday. CNN cannot independently verify battlefield reports. 

Here’s the latest map of control:

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio recording Saturday that he had turned his private mercenary forces around from a march toward Moscow to avoid bloodshed. 

“Now is the moment when blood can be shed. Therefore, realizing all the responsibility for the fact that Russian blood will be shed from one of the sides, we turn our columns around and leave in the opposite direction to the field camps according to the plan,” Prigozhin said. 

The Belarusian government has claimed President Alexander Lukashenko reached a deal with the Wagner boss to halt the march.

Taking advantage of the unfolding turmoil in Moscow on Saturday, Ukrainian forces launched simultaneous counteroffensives in multiple directions, according to Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar. 

“The eastern grouping of troops today launched an offensive in several directions at the same time,” Maliar said in a Telegram post, naming several cities and towns, including Bakhmut and Yahidne, among the places where the offensive was launched.

Maliar said that “there is progress in all directions” without giving any further detail. 

She said there is heavy fighting ongoing in the south of the country, adding that Russian forces are “on the defensive, making great efforts to stop our offensive actions.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko had a phone call to discuss “the results of negotiations” with Wagner private military company chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, according to the Belarusian presidential press service.

“The President of Belarus informed the President of Russia in detail about the results of negotiations with the leadership of PMC [private military company] Wagner,” the press service said in a statement Saturday. “The President of Russia supported and thanked the Belarusian colleague for the work done.”

Prigozhin announced Saturday he was turning his forces around from a march toward Moscow, saying only that the move was in accordance with an unspecified plan and intended to avoid Russian bloodshed.

The Belarusian government claimed Lukashenko brokered a deal with Prigozhin, without providing specifics.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin is “very afraid,” after Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin said he was turning his fighters around from a march toward Moscow. 

“I will say it in Russian: The man from the Kremlin is obviously very afraid and probably hiding somewhere, not showing himself,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky also said Putin’s own actions were to blame for the situation facing him.

“He knows what he is afraid of because he himself created this threat. All evil, all losses, all hatred – he himself who spreads it,” Zelensky said. 

Recent developments in Russia, Zelensky said, show that “the bosses of Russia do not control anything,” adding that “it is happening on Russian territory, which is fully loaded with weapons.” 

“In one day, they lost several of their million-plus cities and showed all Russian bandits, mercenaries, oligarchs and anyone else how easy it is to capture Russian cities and, probably, arsenals with weapons,” Zelensky said. 

United States intelligence officials believe Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin had been planning a major challenge to Russia’s military leadership for quite some time, three people familiar with the matter tell CNN — but it was unclear what the ultimate aim would be.

Intelligence officials briefed congressional leaders known as the Gang of Eight earlier this week concerning Wagner movements and equipment buildups near Russia, two of the people said.

US and Western intelligence officials saw signs Prigozhin was making preparations for such a move, including by massing weapons and ammunition, one western intelligence official and another person familiar with the intelligence said.

The official said they believe Prigozhin’s claims of an ammunition shortage for operations in Ukraine was deliberate deception, to help lay the groundwork for a potential military challenge to Russian leaders. 

A source familiar with the intelligence said “it all happened very quickly,” and it was difficult to discern how serious Prigozhin was about threatening the Russian military and where he would take his troops.

As CNN has previously reported, US officials were caught off guard by the speed with which the situation unfolded Friday night and escalated into Saturday, causing senior officials to cancel planned international trips and convene emergency meetings across the government. 

Update: This post has been updated with the latest information from sources.

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin published a new audio recording Saturday claiming he was turning his forces around from a march toward Moscow. 

“We turning our columns around and going back in the other direction toward our field camps, in accordance with the plan,” he said in a message on Telegram.

The announcement comes as the Belarusian government claimed President Alexander Lukashenko had reached a deal with Wagner boss to halt the march of his forces on Moscow. 

“This morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin briefed his Belarusian counterpart on the situation in southern Russia with the private military company Wagner,” the statement said. “The heads of state agreed on joint actions.
“As a follow-up to the agreements, the President of Belarus, having being additionally informed on the situation through his own channels, and in agreement with the President of Russia, held talks with the head of Wagner PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin,” the statement continued. “Yevgeny Prigozhin accepted the proposal of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to stop the movement of armed persons of the Wagner company on the territory of Russia and take further steps to de-escalate tensions.”

CNN has reached to Prigozhin’s office for comment.

President Joe Biden and US allies on Saturday reaffirmed their “unwavering support for Ukraine” in a call with leaders of France, Germany and the United Kingdom about the unfolding situation in Russia between the military and Wagner private military company.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak have all remained closely aligned with Biden over the course of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Biden has frequently spoken and met with the trio over the last year.

Biden was briefed on the unfolding situation Saturday morning, the White House said, in addition to Friday night.

Former Russian President and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who currently serves as the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, accused Wagner of a “staged coup d’état,” Russian state media RIA Novosti reported on Saturday. 

“The development of events shows that the actions of the people who organized the military rebellion fully fit into the scheme of a staged coup d’état,” RIA Novosti reported, quoting Medvedev. 
According to Medvedev, “the current armed rebellion is a well-thought-out and planned operation, the purpose of which is to seize power in the country.” 

RIA Novosti said that according to Medvedev, the participation of foreigners in the current military rebellion was “quite probable.” 

The state-owned outlet said that Medvedev also dismissed Prigozhin’s allegation that the Russian Defense Ministry had ordered strikes against his fighters at a Wagner camp on Friday.

“Failure to fulfill certain obligations of the Ministry of Defense, ‘strikes’ on the rear (of the Wagner camp), and corruption of officials are nonsense,” Medvedev said.  

Lt. Gen. Vladimir Alekseev, Russian intelligence official, has also criticized Prighozhin’s actions as “a coup d’état.” Prigozhin has claimed that his forces crossed the border into Russia from Ukraine but denies that he is carrying out a “military coup.”

“This is not a military coup, this is a march of justice. Our actions do not interfere with the troops in any way,” Prigozhin said in an audio recording posted to Telegram Friday.  

The Russian investigative outlet Fontanka on Saturday reported that a van stacked with boxes with cash was found parked near what is alleged to be an office of Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin at the Hotel Trezzini in St. Petersburg. 

According to Fontanka, the amount of cash uncovered in an apparent search by authorities totaled 4 billion rubles, or approximately $47 million.

Fontanka posted a photo on its Telegram channel of boxes on the ground next to a van watched over by a police officer. 

It is unclear who ordered the search, but Prigozhin confirmed media reports in an audio message on one of his Telegram channels, saying that money he kept in a van and two buses was allocated for salaries, as well as for the payment of so-called “Cargo 200” compensation for the families of slain fighters. 

“For 10 years, PMC Wagner has always operated in cash,” he said. 

Equipment of the Wagner private military company is moving across territory in the southern Russian region of Lipetsk, according to the region’s governor, Igor Artamonov.

He said authorities are “taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the population,” adding that “the situation is under control” and that “there are no failures in the operation of critical infrastructure.”

“Since night, we have been at the operational headquarters with the team and representatives of all departments,” Artamonov said. “In touch with all heads of districts and services. Everyone works well and smoothly. … Residents are strongly advised not to leave their homes and should not travel by any means of transport. I understand all the inconvenience, but I earnestly ask you to help us and follow these recommendations.”

Artamonov spoke as geolocated video emerged of a small group of military vehicles, including two tanks on flat-bed trailers, in the Lipetsk region.

An unidentified military column consisting of five vehicles was spotted about 400 kilometers (approximately 249 miles) away from Moscow, in the village of Krasnoye in the region, according to social media video shared by local blogs.

CNN was able to verify the location of the video. It shows vehicles driving along a local road next to the railway tracks.

“Look, these are Wagner fighters, I saw them walking around, they went to some shop and are walking around,” says a man in the video.

There is no independent verification that the small convoy is affiliated with Wagner.

The local administration in the city of Lipetsk said that the entrances to the region’s capital city are blockaded in two directions, according to Russian news agency RIA Novosti on Saturday afternoon.

Artamonov implied that roads had been dug up by Wagner fighters, saying, “Traffic has been suspended on part of regional roads. In a number of sections, the roadbed was deliberately damaged — dug up by excavators.”

He said repairs would begin as soon as possible.

Social media video purportedly from Lipetsk showed a deep trench being dug by a backhoe tractor across one highway.

Lipetsk is the main city in the region of the same name, and it is about 470 kilometers (292 miles) south of Moscow.

US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed this morning on the latest developments in Russia and were joined by a number of national security officials, according to the White House.

“Participants included National Security Advisor Sullivan, Secretary Blinken, Secretary Austin, Chairman Milley, Director Haines, Director Burns, and Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield. The President and Vice President will continue to be briefed throughout the day,” according to a White House statement.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also continues to be briefed, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder said in a statement on Saturday.

“Secretary Austin and the Department continue to monitor the ongoing situation in Russia. Secretary Austin will continue to be briefed on any significant developments,” Ryder said.

Russian authorities have offered amnesty to Wagner mercenaries who agree to discard their arms, a lawmaker from the State Duma told Russian state media TASS on Saturday.

“Of course, there is a chance to lay down arms and avoid punishment, and the President also talked about this,” the head of the State Duma Committee on State Construction, Pavel Krasheninnikov, told TASS. 

“We know that there are many people among them who have proven themselves in the special military operation, and there is respect for them,” he said, referring to Russia’s term for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. “In order not to waste it, you need to do it as soon as possible and not succumb to provocations from the leadership of the rebels.”  

Krasheninnikov added that Putin “spoke in a comprehensive manner,” and said that it’s key that this information gets through to them.

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed that a “counter-terrorist regime” has been declared in the city, according to a statement. 

“The situation is difficult. In order to minimize risks, I, within the framework of the operational headquarters, decided to declare Monday a non-working day - with the exception of authorities and enterprises of a continuous cycle, the military-industrial complex, and city services,” Sobyanin said on Telegram. “I ask you to refrain from traveling around the city as much as possible. It is possible that traffic will be blocked in certain areas and on certain roads.”

According to Sobyanin, Moscow city services are on high alert.

Russian state media RIA Novosti reported Saturday that security measures are being strengthened at a number of places on the Moscow Ring Road. A checkpoint with a grenade launcher and an armored personnel carrier was installed at the exit from the Moscow Ring Road in the Yasenevo area and vehicles are being checked, according to RIA.

Earlier Saturday, the Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee announced the introduction of a “counter-terrorist operation regime” in Moscow, as well as the Moscow region and Voronezh region.

The counter-terrorist regime includes, but is not limited to:

The latest Wagner movements: Equipment of the Wagner private military company is moving across territory in the southern Russian region of Lipetsk, according to the region’s governor, Igor Artamonov.

Lipetsk is the main city in the region of the same name, and it is about 470 kilometers (292 miles) south of Moscow.

Ukraine claims it has taken back territory in the east that was held by Russia since it annexed Crimea in 2014. 

According to military officials in Tavria in southeastern Ukraine, Ukrainian forces have captured “territories near Krasnohorivka in Donetsk” and are continuing to advance, state media Ukrinform reports. 

Another Ukrainian official claimed that Russian forces had been pushed out of the area about a week ago, but the information was not made public for “tactical reasons.” 

Ukrainian forces claim to have taken the area prior to the apparent Wagner insurrection but only announced it Saturday.

CNN cannot independently verify battlefield reports. 

In the years leading up to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a St. Petersburg-based businessman named Yevgeny Prigozhin emerged as a canny political entrepreneur.

Prigozhin and his companies served the interests of the Russian state, advancing Putin’s foreign policy in ways that were both useful and off the books.

Prigozhin’s relatively discreet public profile was his greatest asset. He bankrolled the notorious troll farm that the US government sanctioned for interference in the 2016 US presidential election; created a substantial mercenary force that played a key role in conflicts from Ukraine’s Donbas region to the Syrian civil war; and helped Moscow make a play for influence on the African continent.

All of Prigozhin’s activities gave the Kremlin a fig leaf of deniability. After all, mercenary activity was technically barred by Russian law, and Putin could always maintain that interference in US elections was merely the work of “patriotic” hackers.

And it also served Putin’s interest to outsource some of the dirty work of sponsoring armed insurrection in eastern Ukraine or holding territory in Syria. Wagner’s existence was not publicly acknowledged, and some of Prigozhin’s operations appeared to be partly self-funded, with various shell companies staking claims to oil and gas facilities and vying for access to gold and other riches.

But all of that changed with the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. By giving Prigozhin free rein to raise a private army, Putin both unleashed the political ambitions of the businessman and surrendered the state’s monopoly on the use of force.

Read the full analysis here.

Russian President Vladimir Putin faces increased rebellion by Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin after the mercenary leader rejected surrender, calling the president “deeply mistaken” for saying his actions betray Russia.

In southwestern Russian regions, officials have cautioned residents to stay in their homes amid reports of Wagner equipment moving through the territories.

Here’s the latest:

Ukraine’s military will benefit from Yevgeny Prigozhin’s decision to turn his Wagner mercenaries on enemies inside Russia, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian military in eastern Ukraine told CNN on Saturday.

“The fact that Prigozhin took all his Wagner fighters into Russia now will definitely have an effect on our frontline,” Serhii Cherevatyi, spokesman for the eastern grouping of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told CNN by phone.
“They were the most effective fighters. Unlike them, the Russian regular army – which was defeated near Kyiv, Kherson, Kharkiv, Lyman and replaced by the freshly mobilized – are not as aggressive in their assault operations,” he added.

Cherevatyi said the withdrawal of Wagner forces from the long-fought eastern city of Bakhmut in May was “very demoralizing” for Russian forces.

“Paratroopers and infantry coming to take its place knew what to expect – they are going to the place of defeat, they have less armament than Wagnerites – and that battle-hardened, motivated to kill them, skilled Ukrainian units are waiting for them,” he said.

He also said that his forces planned to exploit Prigozhin’s outsized presence in the media.

“All his messages where he talks disrespectfully of (Russian Defense Minister Sergei) Shoigu and (head of the Joint Group of Forces Valery) Gerasimov, some regular Russian army units, praises the Ukrainian leadership, voices close to real losses in battles for Bakhmut – these messages are all demoralizing,” Cherevatyi said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry warned Western countries against using Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s rebellion to achieve what it called “Russophobic goals.”

“Such attempts are futile and will not find a response either in Russia or among sensible political forces abroad,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It said the apparent insurrection “prompts sharp rejection in the Russian society” and claimed that it “plays into the hands of Russia’s external enemies.”

“The adventuristic aspirations of the conspirators, in fact, are aimed at destabilizing the situation in Russia, destroying our unity, and undermining the efforts of the Russian Federation aimed at ensuring reliable international security,” the statement read.
“We are convinced that in the near future the situation will find a solution worthy of the age-old wisdom of the Russian people and the Russian State,” it continued.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, according to the Turkish President’s office. 

During the meeting, the latest developments in Russia were discussed, Erdogan’s office said. 

Erdoğan underscored the importance of acting with common sense and said Turkey is ready to do its part to resolve the situation in a peaceful and calm way, as soon as possible.

The Kremlin also confirmed the call, saying that Erdoğan pledged his “full support” with Putin.

“At the initiative of the Turkish side, Vladimir Putin held a telephone conversation with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan,” the Kremlin said in a readout.

“The President of Russia informed about the situation in the country in connection with an attempted armed rebellion. The President of the Republic of Turkey expressed full support for the steps taken by the Russian leadership.”

A munition that landed in the southwestern Russian city of Voronezh during what appears to have been a clash between Wagner units and Russian forces damaged a number of cars, according to state media.

The munition landed in a parking lot in a residential complex on the outskirts of Voronezh. It’s not clear whether it came from a Russian helicopter or Wagner fighters on the ground.

“I was sitting on the balcony, drinking coffee, I was looking — people were pointing at the sky, there was a helicopter. Then — bang, I looked out into the yard, everything was in white smoke,” a resident said, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. “I saw smoke from the the oil refinery, then I went to look at the car.”

The resident’s car was damaged. Other residents said the glass in their apartments was shattered.

Earlier, RIA Novosti reported that a Russian military Mi-8 helicopter made a hard landing in the Voronezh region, and one person was injured.

RIA cited emergency services. It did not disclose whether the helicopter was one of those apparently involved in operations against Wagner forces on the outskirts of the city of Voronezh. 

Social media videos show at least one helicopter firing at ground targets on the outskirts of the city. 

CNN’s Uliana Pavlova contributed reporting to this post.

United States and Western officials are being careful not to weigh in on the events unfolding in Russia because of how Russian President Vladimir Putin could weaponize any perceived involvement by the West in the escalating crisis, sources familiar with US President Joe Biden administration’s thinking told CNN.

Officials across the administration convened emergency meetings on Friday night to assess the events, which unfolded so quickly that they caught US and European officials off guard, the sources said. 

While tensions have been steadily rising over the last few months between Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russia’s Ministry of Defense, US and European intelligence officials did not predict that Prigozhin would move to storm the Rostov region with his forces, sources familiar with the intelligence told CNN. 

“It’s so hard to tell how much was talk and how much was real,” said one of the sources. “The tension had been building for so long without anything actually happening.”

A European intelligence official told CNN that the “temperature had obviously been building,” but few could have predicted what Prigozhin was planning.

The official said the West will be watching how this plays out over the next 24 to 48 hours, after which supply shortages will likely start kicking in for Wagner forces.

It is not clear to US or European officials how far in advance Prigozhin was planning the attack.

One source familiar with Western intelligence said it appeared that it must have taken at least several days to organize; another source, however, noted that Rostov is very close to the front lines in Ukraine, so it may not have required much forethought.

Officials and agencies across the world are reacting to the situation in Russia after the head of the Wagner private military group launched what Russian President Vladimir Putin called an “armed uprising.”

Here’s what they’re saying:

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called for the resumption of law and order in Russia. 

“Constitutional order and the rule of law are a prerequisite for the maintenance of law and order in the country. This is the basis for the security of society and its successful development,” the Kazakh president’s press service reported, adding that Putin thanked Tokayev for understanding the situation.

The European Union’s top diplomat Josep Borrell triggered a bloc-wide crisis response center to monitor the developing rebellion by Wagner. On Twitter, he emphasized that the EU support to Ukraine “continues unabated.”

Latvia has increased security along its border with Russia and barred Russians from entering amid the developing situation, according to Latvia’s Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs. He said on Twitter that there is “no direct threat to Latvia” and said officials are exchanging information with allies.

Georgia is “monitoring closely” the events unfolding in Russia, President Salome Zourabichvili said Saturday.

“Our border has to be tightly controlled in view of possible new waves of migration,” she tweeted.

Germany has also been monitoring developments “very closely” since yesterday evening and is in close contact with its international partners, the country’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Saturday.

“German citizens in Russia are advised to follow our adapted travel and security advice,” she said.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is “closely following the events unfolding in Russia, which bear witness to how the aggression against Ukraine is also causing instability within the Russian Federation,” her office said in a statement.

The Italian Embassy in Moscow has appealed to Italian citizens in Russia’s Rostov and Voronezh regions to stay “under cover” and keep “informed of developments,” CNN’s affiliate SkyTG24 reported Saturday.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said the current events show that Russia’s war on Ukraine has “backfired.”

“Closely following the events. The Kremlin regime reaps what it sows. All the violence directed at Ukraine has backfired,” he tweeted. “The NATO Vilnius Summit will evaluate new circumstances. The complex security situation calls for additional measures. We must get ready for any scenario!”

The United Kingdom’s foreign secretary chaired a meeting of its government task force COBR (Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms). These meetings are called by the government to discuss the UK’s response to emergency situations. Earlier, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urged the Kremlin and Wagner “to be responsible and to protect civilians.”

France’s Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna, along with the French Embassy in Moscow, “is closely following ongoing events in Russia and is fully mobilized to ensure the security of French citizens in the country, as well as that of consular and diplomatic personnel,” the French Foreign Ministry said.

Russian security forces were seen taking positions in southern Moscow, according to photos published by Russian business newspaper Vedomosti.

The images published by the paper showed Russian security forces in body armor and equipped with automatic weapons taking up a position near a highway linking Moscow with southern Russia.

Photographs posted on the Vedomosti Telegram channel show armed and uniformed men on Lipetskaya Street, near the entrance to the M4 highway linking the capital with the cities of Voronezh and Rostov-on-Don.

The photographs also show a helicopter in the sky over the area and a police truck.

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed his private military group fighters have taken control of a Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the “ongoing situation in Russia” on a call with his G7 and European Union counterparts, according to a brief statement released Saturday.

The foreign ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom, plus the EU’s top diplomat, participated in the call.

A State Department spokesperson said that Blinken “reiterated that support by the United States for Ukraine will not change” and that the US “will stay in close coordination with Allies and partners as the situation continues to develop.”

Belarus will remain an ally of Russia, the country’s Security Council said in a statement published by its foreign ministry on Saturday.

“Belarus has been and remains an ally of Russia, fully sharing the goals and objectives of the special military operation. This is a difficult, forced and justified mission to protect the Russian people in the Donbas. In fact, this is an ongoing fight for the future of the Slavic world,” the statement read.

According to the statement, the Security Council of Belarus considers any provocation, internal conflict in the military and political circles of Russia, as “a gift to the collective West.”

Belarusian opposition: But while the country’s leadership continues to show support for its Russian neighbors as it has since the war started in February last year, the Belarusian opposition has called on the country’s military to assert its independence.

Valery Sakhashchyk, a member of the joint transitional cabinet of opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, called on the Belarusian military to unite in order to “save the country.”

“I want to address the Belarusian military. We have no one to rely on, but we, united, will definitely cope with this,” he said in a video address from Ukraine.

“We will have time to ask each other questions and complain. Let’s not do it now. Let’s unite the nation, save the motherland, everything else, later,” Sakhashchyk said, urging the Belarusian military to tune in to the radio frequencies of Ukrainian troops. 

Sakhashchyk claimed that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has led the country to a “dead end” and said “now Belarusians must decide what to do next.”

“Either we use this historic chance and become a prosperous European country, or we will lose everything, and the very name of the Republic of Belarus will remain only in books,” Sakhashchyk said.

The governor of the Russian region of Kursk, which borders Ukraine, has urged Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin to abandon his plans.

“The Kursk region closely cooperated with the PMC ‘Wagner’ in the training of fighters of voluntary people’s squads of our region, and I myself took this training,” Roman Starovoyt said in a Telegram post.

Wagner should not be forgotten, he said, because “together we rejoiced at the success of the guys when we liberated Soledar and Artemovsk (Russian name for Bakhmut), and mourned together with the families of the fallen soldiers.”

“The ambitions of the leader should not cross out the past merits of ordinary fighters,” Starovoyt added, directly urging Prigozhin “to abandon his plans, lay down his arms and prevent the development of an internal conflict in the country.”

Civilians in the city of Lipetsk, which is north of Voronezh, have been urged to remain at home by their governor, amid unconfirmed reports that Wagner vehicles have been spotted in the region.

“At the moment all authorities and law enforcement agencies are working in a reinforced regime,” Gov. Igor Artamonov said on Telegram.

“To ensure law and order and the safety of the citizens of the Lipetsk region, the operational headquarters of the region asks residents not to leave their homes without an urgent need and refrain from any travel by personal or public transport,” Artamonov said.

“The situation is under control, but requires the understanding of every resident of the region,” the post added.

Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), condemned what he described as an “attempted armed rebellion” in Russia.

Naryshkin said the rebellion is a crime “that cannot be justified by any prior achievements.” 

“At the moment, it is clear that the attempt to rock society, awaken the darkest aspirations in it, kindle the fire of a fratricidal civil war, has failed,” Naryshkin said in a statement on Telegram. “The Russians have demonstrated civic maturity, the ability to distinguish truth from lies.”

Naryshkin, who is also chairman of the Russian Historical Society, said the society “calls on fellow citizens to unite around the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin - the guarantor of the Constitution, rights and freedoms - and to support our Army, which, no matter what, holds back the onslaught of the enemy.”

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed Saturday that Wagner private military contractors entered the southern city of Rostov-on-Don and took control of the Southern Military Headquarters without opening fire.

“Without firing a shot, we captured the headquarters building. We have not interfered with the work of a single person,” Prigozhin said in Telegram post. 
“Why does the country support us? Because we went with a march of justice. We were attacked from the beginning by artillery and then by helicopters, and we passed without a single shot. We did not touch a single conscript. We didn’t kill a single person along the way,” Prigozhin added. 

However, Russian state media reports that several gunshots and an explosion were heard outside the headquarters of the Southern Military District.

Vladimir Rogov, a senior Russian-appointed official in occupied Ukraine, said on Telegram: “The sounds of explosions and shooting at the headquarters of the Southern Military District, most likely, were either a firecracker or an explosive package, they (Wagner) blew it up to scare civilians away from the cordon zone.”

Rogov said Wagner detachments had demanded civilians move 2 kilometers (about 1.2 miles) away from the cordoned-off headquarters.

Rogov also said that in Rostov, the first detachments of Chechen special forces had been seen, “which were transferred to suppress the rebellion.”

There is no independent confirmation that Chechen units have arrived in Rostov.

Here’s where the city is located:

Social media video published early Saturday shows a meeting between Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and two senior Russian military commanders.

The two-minute video shows Prigozhin with the two officers in a courtyard, possibly in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don, surrounded by bodyguards. A Telegram channel that has been a reliable source of information about Wagner operations claims the discussion took place at the headquarters of Russia’s Southern Military District. The exact time of the meeting is unknown, but it is in daylight.

One of the Russian officers is a deputy chief of the Russian General Staff, Lt. Gen Vladimir Alekseev. The other is a Deputy Minister of Defense Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, the former head of the republic of Ingushetia. 

At one point, Prigozhin says to the men, “We will shoot down all of them if you send them.” The context is unclear. 

He appears to address Yevkuorov when he says, “You had no conscience,” accusing the military of opening fire on civilians.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged that the situation in Rostov is “difficult” and that military and civilian buildings have been blockaded. It is unclear if there have been exchanges of fire there. 

Prigozhin also warns that Wagner’s apparent mutiny may go further.

“We came here,” he said. “We want to receive the chief of general staff [Vitaly Gerasimov] and [Defense Minister Sergei] Shoigu. “Until they are here we will be located here, blockading the city of Rostov. And we’ll go to Moscow.”
The Wagner boss also says, “Guys are dying because you’re pushing them there. Without ammunition, without thought. Without any plans. Just elderly clowns.”

Little is heard from either Alekseev or Yevkuov in the meeting, and the broader context of what was discussed is not known. The defense ministry in Moscow has not commented on it or any other contacts with Prigozhin.  

On Friday night, Alekseev published a video in which he criticized Wagner’s actions, calling it “a coup d’etat.” 

“What is happening now is a blatant fact of insanity. I cannot explain it in other words. Our country is in the most difficult position right now. When the whole Western world is turned against us. When the shells are coming from the whole world. Such things, that you started to fulfil now under someone’s provocation idea will lead to enormous losses. First of all, enormous political losses. Imagine the enthusiasm that this will be taken with by the West,” Alekseev said in the video. 

Chaos in the Kremlin couldn’t come at a better time for Ukraine.

What Russian President Vladimir Putin described as an “armed rebellion” by Wagner mercenaries is a godsend for a country that has been preparing for months to launch a counteroffensive aimed at dealing a body-blow to the Russian military.

A video clip widely circulating on social media in Ukraine shows then-actor-now-President Volodymyr Zelensky sitting down in a comfortable chair, popping open a beer and picking up a bowl of popcorn, smiling in anticipation at what, we assume, is a television set.

Late Friday evening as the drama was unfolding in Russia, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry sent out a simple tweet. “We are watching.”

Suddenly, after 16 months of full-scale war, there is something else for Ukrainians to watch – the Russian invaders fighting among themselves.

The word of the day in Ukraine is “schadenfreude” – pleasure felt at another’s misfortune.

Earlier this month Ukraine announced the start of its much-anticipated counteroffensive. Until now the results have been modest—the liberation of eight small villages, 113 square kilometres or 44 square miles of territory, according to the Defense Ministry.

The CNN crew in southern Ukraine was up near the front lines Friday. What we saw was an extensive concentration of troops and weapons (many of them the latest Western weapons systems) and other equipment poised to advance.

Before the offensive has even entered its main phase, however, it is already bearing fruit, according to Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to President Zelensky.

“The launch of the Ukrainian counteroffensive has finally destabilized the Russian elites, exacerbating the internal split that emerged after the defeat in Ukraine,” he commented in a statement to the media.

Midday in Kyiv, President Zelensky tweeted “the longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on our land, the more chaos, pain, and problems it will have for itself later.”

Those problems, it seems, are mounting by the hour.

Russia can no longer hide the “stupidity of its government” as its “weakness” has been exposed amid an insurrection started by Wagner’s chief, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday. 

On Twitter, Zelensky said Moscow’s actions in Ukraine have led it to the chaos it is now engulfed in. 

“Everyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself. Who sends columns of troops to destroy the lives of another country and cannot stop them from fleeing and betraying when life resists. Who terrorizes with missiles, and when they are shot down, humiliates himself to receive Shahed drones. Who despises people and throws hundreds of thousands into the war, in order to eventually barricade himself in the Moscow region from those whom he himself armed,” he tweeted.  

In the past, Russia hid its weakness behind propaganda, but now that there is such chaos, no lie can hide their “full-scale weakness,” he added.

Zelensky also said the longer Russian troops and mercenaries stayed on Ukrainian soil, the more “chaos, pain, and problems” Russia would have.

“It is also obvious. Ukraine is able to protect Europe from the spread of Russian evil and chaos,” he tweeted.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also called on the international community to give the country weapons to end the war with Russia and President Vladimir Putin’s regime in light of the situation with Wagner.

“Time to abandon false neutrality and fear of escalation; give Ukraine all the needed weapons; forget about friendship or business with Russia. Time to put an end to the evil everyone despised but was too afraid to tear down,” he tweeted.  

“Those who said Russia was too strong to lose; look now,” he added.

Some Ukrainian officials believe that if the actions of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin against the Kremlin amount to an internal Russian conflict, then it is a “sign of the collapse of the Putin regime.”

“The internal Russian confrontation between the leader of the so-called Wagner PMC Prigozhin and the military and political leadership of the aggressor state is a sign of the collapse of the Putin regime,” according to Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine.

“First of all, we must understand that this is an internal Russian conflict and confrontation which are a direct consequence of the Putin regime’s criminal military aggression against Ukraine,” the representative of the Ukrainian military intelligence said.

Yusov added that Ukraine continues to monitor developments in Russia.

Some context: Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed Saturday to have seized control of key military facilities in Rostov and Voronezh, pledging to move on to Moscow if Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and top general Valery Gerasimov, did not meet with him.

Earlier, the official Russian news agency TASS reported that traffic had been blocked on the M-4 highway past Rostov-on-Don towards Aksay.

“All cars moving from Rostov-on-Don towards Aksay are being redirected back in the city, and police checkpoints have been reinforced,” TASS reported.

The head of Russia’s Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has called for national unity, urging Wagner fighters under chief Yevgeny Prigozhin “to think again.”

“When the enemies are making every effort to destroy Russia, any attempt to sow discord within the country is the greatest crime that has no justification. As the primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, I call on those who, having taken up arms and are ready to use them against their brethren, to think again. I support the efforts of the head of state aimed at preventing unrest in our country,” Patriarch Kirill said in a statement Saturday.

In his address, the patriarch called the Wagner mutiny a “test.” He called on Russians to preserve national unity, as well as to support the soldiers and each other with all their might.

The patriarch has supported Russia’s conflict with Ukraine, saying last March it was an extension of a fundamental culture clash between the wider Russian world and Western liberal values, exemplified by expressions of gay pride.

Experts said Kirill’s comments offered important insights into Putin’s larger spiritual vision of a return to a Russian Empire, in which the Orthodox religion plays a pivotal role.

The Moscow-installed leaders in four Ukrainian regions that Russia claimed to have annexed reiterated their support for Russian President Vladimir Putin Saturday as he faces opposition from Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

“The only true solution to achieve our victory is to consolidate around the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the president of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin,” Denis Pushilin, the head of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, said in a statement on Telegram.

The heads of the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, as well as the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, expressed similar support for Putin.

Pushilin said this “difficult stage for Russia” was “particularly painful” for him, given Wagner’s role in capturing “Artemivsk,” the Soviet-era name for Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine.

“Wagner’s guys sometimes did the impossible,” Pushilin said. But, he said, “confrontations of any kind, both before and now, will never be able to lead to the achievement of our goals.”

The Russian-backed leaders in occupied the Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions reassured their followers on Telegram that the situation in their regions remains “stable.”

This just does not happen in Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Especially in public.

The Russian president is facing the most serious threat to his hold on power in all the 23 years he’s run the nuclear state. And it is staggering to behold the veneer of total control he has maintained all that time – the ultimate selling point of his autocracy – crumble overnight.

It was both inevitable and impossible. Inevitable, as the mismanagement of the war had meant only a system as homogenously closed and immune to criticism as the Kremlin could survive such a heinous misadventure. And impossible as Putin’s critics simply vanish, or fall out of windows, or are poisoned savagely. Yet now the fifth largest army in the world is facing a weekend in which fratricide – the turning of their guns upon their fellow soldiers – is the only thing that can save the Moscow elite from collapse.

So accustomed are we to viewing Putin as a master tactician, that the opening salvos of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s disobedience were at times assessed as a feint – a bid by Putin to keep his generals on edge with a loyal henchman as their outspoken critic. But what we are seeing today – with Putin forced to admit that Rostov-on-Don, his main military hub, is out of his control – puts paid to any idea that this was managed by the Kremlin.

Read the full story here.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has urged the Kremlin and Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin “to be responsible and to protect civilians.”

Sunak told the BBC on Saturday that the UK is ” keeping a close eye on the situation as it’s evolving on the ground as we speak.”

“We’re in touch with our allies and, in fact, I’ll be speaking to some of them later today,” he said.

“But the most important thing I’d say is for all parties to be responsible and to protect civilians, and that’s about as much as I can say at this moment,” he added.

Sunak declined to say whether it is good or bad news that Putin is being challenged.

Earlier on Saturday, the UK Ministry of Defence said that the latest developments represent “the most significant challenge to the Russian state in recent times.”

“Following events overnight involving the Wagner group and the Russian military, we are monitoring the situation carefully and liaising closely with our allies,” Foreign Secretary James Cleverly tweeted.

A burning fuel tank at an oil refinery close to the Russian city Voronezh is being extinguished, Governor Alexander Gusev said Saturday.

“In Voronezh, a burning fuel tank is being extinguished at an oil depot on the Dimitrov street. More than 100 firefighters and 30 vehicles are on site. According to the first data, there are no victims,” Gusev said in a statement.

He provided no explanation for the cause of the fire, but several social media videos show at least one military helicopter in the vicinity. As a helicopter flies towards the refinery, there is an explosion and fireball, and thick black smoke rises from the location. 

Fighters of the Wagner private military company had been in the area, according to other geolocated video.

Geolocated footage shows at least two military helicopters in the vicinity, on the outskirts of the city. 

Russian state media outlets have published video of roadblocks around the city of Voronezh, which appears to have been a goal of Wagner units moving northwards from Rostov-on-Don.

Yevgeny Prigozhin is the founder and bombastic chief of Russia’s private military group Wagner.

Typically a figure who has operated in the shadows, Prigozhin and his army were thrust into the spotlight following the outbreak of Russia’s war in Ukraine, with his troops playing a key role in the fighting.

He shared Russian President Vladimir Putin’s relatively humble beginnings, growing up in the tougher neighborhood of Saint Petersburg.

Prigozhin has known Putin since the 1990s. He became a wealthy oligarch by winning lucrative catering contracts with the Kremlin, earning him the moniker “Putin’s chef.”

His transformation into a brutal warlord came in the aftermath of the 2014 Russian-backed separatist movements in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine.

Prigozhin founded Wagner to be a shadowy mercenary outfit that fought both in eastern Ukraine and, increasingly, for Russian-backed causes around the world.

CNN has tracked Wagner mercenaries in the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique, Ukraine and Syria. Over the years they have developed a particularly gruesome reputation and have been linked to various human rights abuses.

It took the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine for Prigozhin and his forces to take center stage. Wagner particularly took the charge in eastern Ukraine and Wagner forces were heavily involved in taking Soledar, a few miles northeast of Bakhmut, and areas around the town.

In recent months, Prigozhin has created a dilemma for Putin by becoming an outspoken critic of Russia’s military leaders.

In May, he announced that his troops would withdraw from the embattled eastern city of Bakhmut – after complained for well over a month of receiving insufficient support from the Kremlin in the grueling fight for the eastern city.

Now, Prigozhin has launched an all-out rebellion against the Kremlin – after his increasingly outrageous outbursts sparked speculation that he could be going too far.

Read more:

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of private military company (PMC) Wagner, has refused to surrender following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s address describing his actions as a betrayal.

Prigozhin said on Telegram that the president is “deeply mistaken.” 

“Regarding the ‘betrayal of the motherland,’ the president is deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our Motherland, we fought and are fighting, all the fighters of the PMC Wagner,” Prigozhin said in audio messages shared by the press service.

“And no one is going to turn themselves in at the request of the president, the FSB or anyone else,” he added.

Prigozhin’s language in the message is in clear defiance of both the Kremlin and security services. Previously, he has been careful not to criticize Putin directly, or challenge his authority.

Prigozhin also returned to a familiar theme, saying that his men are patriots and refuse to perpetuate the “corruption, deceit, and bureaucracy” in which he claims Russia is living.

“When we were told that we were at war with Ukraine, we went and fought. But it turned out that ammunition, weapons, all the money that was allocated is also being stolen, and the bureaucrats are sitting [idly], saving it for themselves, just for the occasion that happened today, when someone [is] marching to Moscow,” he said.

Russian military are carrying out the necessary “combat measures” in the southern Russia city of Voronezh, the region’s governor said.

Alexander Gusev posted a brief update on his Telegram channel, as geolocated videos emerge showing Wagner fighters and vehicles on the move along the M-4 highway that leads to the city of Voronezh from southern Russia.

“As part of the counter-terrorist operation on the territory of the Voronezh region, the armed forces of the Russian Federation are carrying out the necessary operational and combat measures. I will keep you updated as the situation develops,” Gusev said.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has condemned the actions of Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and pledged his support to the Kremlin.

Addressing Wagner fighters, Kadyrov said: “Whatever goals you are given, no matter what promises you are told – the security of the state and the cohesion of Russian society at such a moment is above all else! See how our enemies in the West are taking advantage of this situation….These are the expected consequences of Prigozhin’s treacherous march.” 

He also spoke of a “vile betrayal” by Prigozhin. 

In a long statement on Telegram, Kadyrov said: “I have repeatedly warned that war is not the time to voice personal grievances and resolve disputes in our rear. The rear must always be calm and reliable. Imagine how the guys in the trenches feel now, in the face of which there is an enemy, and behind their backs a treacherous adventure. We are talking about stability, about the cohesion of the state, about the security of citizens.”

Kadyrov continued: “We have a Supreme Commander-in-Chief, elected by the people, who knows the whole situation to the smallest detail better than any strategist.”

Referring to President Putin’s address to the nation Saturday, he said: “Vladimir Vladimirovich quite rightly noted in his address to the nation – this is a military rebellion! There is no excuse for such actions! I fully support every word of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin!

“What is happening is not an ultimatum to the Ministry of Defense. This is a challenge to the state, and against this challenge it is necessary to rally around the national leader: the military, security forces, governors, and the civilian population.”

Kadyrov’s statement ends: “The rebellion must be crushed, and if this requires harsh measures, then we are ready!”

Some context: Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed Saturday to have seized control of key military facilities in Rostov and Voronezh, pledging to move on to Moscow if Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and top general Valery Gerasimov, did not meet with him.

Earlier, the official Russian news agency TASS reported that traffic had been blocked on the M-4 highway past Rostov-on-Don towards Aksay.

“All cars moving from Rostov-on-Don towards Aksay are being redirected back in the city, and police checkpoints have been reinforced,” TASS reported.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has issued a call for unity in Russia in order to prevent the potential threat of “civil strife.”

“We have one commander in chief [Vladimir Putin]. Not two, not three. One. And he urged everyone to unite,” spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a Telegram post, echoing sentiments expressed by other government officials.

“The enemy is just waiting for our civil strife,” she added.

Zakharova urged the men of Russia to unite despite their differing views. “Behind you are children, women, your parents! Behind you is the country. Behind you is everything that you defend with weapons in your hands. Behind you are the graves of those who did not spare themselves. You are future generations. Hold on and don’t give in.”

Zakharova concluded her message by urging Russians to stand strong.

“Today we are all being tempted, our strength tested. Don’t give in! Together with the President! May God keep us!” she added.

Her words of defiance come as Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed Saturday to have seized control of key military facilities in Rostov and Voronezh, pledging to move on to Moscow if Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and top general Valery Gerasimov did not meet with him.

Rumors of military equipment moving through Russia’s southern city Voronezh amid reports of Wagner fighters also traveling in the region, have been disputed by its governor Alexander Gusev.

“A lot of unreliable information is now being published on social networks about the alleged movement of columns of military equipment through the territory of the Voronezh region,” Gusev said in a statement Saturday.

“The legislation of the Russian Federation provides for liability for the dissemination of such messages,” he added, asking people to only follow information from official sources.

“I also ask the media to take a responsible approach to posting information,” Gusev said.

The Russian news agency RIA Novosti quoted its correspondent in Voronezh as saying that “access to the buildings of the FSB and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Voronezh is blocked, the police are on duty.”

Motorists on a major highway in southern Russia have been advised to avoid the route, amid reports that convoys of Wagner fighters are using it.

The warning was posted on Telegram by the company Avtodor, which operates Russian highways.

“Drivers, Attention. Please choose routes around the M-4,” the message read.

The M-4 runs north from Rostov to Voronezh and onto Moscow.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed Saturday to have seized control of key military facilities in Rostov and Voronezh, pledging to move on to Moscow if Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and top general Valery Gerasimov, did not meet with him.

Earlier, the official Russian news agency TASS reported that traffic had been blocked on the M-4 highway past Rostov-on-Don towards Aksay.

“All cars moving from Rostov-on-Don towards Aksay are being redirected back in the city, and police checkpoints have been reinforced,” TASS reported.

NATO is “monitoring the situation” in Russia, a spokesperson told CNN Saturday, which the European Union has also said it is “carefully” doing.

“We are following the situation carefully and are in permanent contact with our Ambassador in Moscow and continuing our internal consultations with our Member States,” EU spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Nabila Massrali told CNN.

“What we are witnessing is an internal Russian issue,” Massrali added.

Other European leaders have also commented that they are monitoring the events.

French President Emmanuel Macron is following Russia “closely,” the Elysee Palace said Saturday.

“The President is monitoring the situation closely. We remain focused on supporting Ukraine,” the Elysee said.

Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas tweeted that they were also following developments and trading information with allies.

“Border security has been strengthened. I also urge our people not to travel to any part of Russia,” she said after assuring they do not face any direct threat.

Similarly, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda said they were watching the situation on an “ongoing basis.”

“Due to the situation in Russia, we held consultations this morning with the Prime Minister and the Ministry of National Defense, as well as with the Allies. The course of events beyond our eastern border is monitored on an ongoing basis,” Duda tweeted Saturday.

Meanwhile, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by phone Saturday morning, Belarusian official news agency reported.

“The Russian president informed his counterpart about the situation in the country,” BELTA said.

Belarus, which shares borders with both Russia and Ukraine, was a key ally to Putin when the war started February last year.

The Russian National Anti-Terrorism Committee announced the introduction of a counter-terrorist operation regime in Moscow, the Moscow region and Voronezh region.

“In order to prevent possible terrorist acts on the territory of the city of Moscow, the Moscow and Voronezh regions, a counter-terrorist operation regime has been introduced,” the statement said. 

According to Russian state media, this is the first time that the counter-terrorist regime has been announced in these regions. 

The measures were announced as the head of the Wagner private military group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was accused of mounting an armed revolt against the Russian state. 

The counter-terrorist regime includes, but is not limited to:

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that those on the “path of treason” or armed rebellion will be “punished” after the head of the Wagner paramilitary group said his troops had taken control of military facilities in two Russian cities, plunging the country into crisis.

Here are some of the key lines from Putin’s address:

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wagner’s “betrayal” and “any actions that fracture our unity,” are “a stab in the back of our country and our people.”

“What we are facing is precisely betrayal. Excessive ambition and vested interests have led to treason. Betrayal of one’s country, one’s people, and the cause for which the soldiers and commanders of the Wagner group had fought and died, side by side with our other units,” Putin said. 

Putin called Wagner actions “internal treachery,” saying that “all kinds of political adventurers and foreign forces, who divided the country and tore it apart, profited from their own interests. We will not let this happen again. We will protect both our people and our statehood from any threats, including internal treachery.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address Saturday, “the situation in Rostov-on-Don remains difficult during the armed uprising.”

“In Rostov, the work of civil and military administration is basically blocked,” Putin said. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin appealed to Wagner forces in an address Saturday.

“I appeal to those pushed into the provocation of a military rebellion,” he said.

Putin added that at this time, “we require unity, consolidation, and responsibility.”

The Russian President said, “any internal turmoil is a deadly threat to our statehood for us as a nation; it is a blow to Russia for our people and our actions to protect our homeland. Such a threat will face a severe response.”

The simmering conflict between Moscow’s military leadership and Yevgeny Prigozhin, the bombastic chief of private mercenary group Wagner, has dramatically escalated into an open insurrection that plunges Russia into renewed uncertainty.

Moscow’s mayor said the capital is reinforcing security as Prigozhin claimed to have seized control of key military facilities in the Russian cities of Rostov and Voronezh Saturday.

Here’s the latest:

Russia’s Ministry of Defense appealed to Wagner forces to “safely return to their points of permanent deployment” on Saturday, after the private mercenary group’s chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed to have taken control of military facilities in two Russian cities.  

“Many of your comrades from several squads have already realized their mistake by asking for help in ensuring the ability to safely return to their points of permanent deployment,” the statement said. 

“Such assistance from our side has already been provided to all the fighters and commanders who applied,” it continued. 

The Ministry of Defense said it would “guarantee everyone’s safety.”

The Wagner paramilitary group claimed Saturday it had taken control of Russian military facilities in the Russian city of Voronezh.

“Military facilities in Voronezh are taken under the control of the Wagner PMC. The army switches to the side of the people,” read a short statement from Wagner’s Telegram channel. 

Earlier on Saturday, Wager chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said he was at the military headquarters in Rostov and that the local airfield was under his force’s control.

Russian security forces have cordoned off the building of the Wagner Center in St. Petersburg, according to Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti.

Videos circulating on Telegram channels of the Wagner group show security personnel at the headquarters in St. Petersburg and a cordon around the building.

Russia’s Defense Ministry told reporters on Friday that claims “the information spread on social networks” about a Russian strike on a Wagner military camp “is false,” according to Russian state media.

“All the messages and video footage distributed on social networks on behalf of E. Prigozhin about the alleged strike by the Russian Defense Ministry against the ‘military camps of the Wagner PMCs’ do not correspond to reality and are an information provocation,” the Ministry of Defense said, TASS reported Saturday.

The Russian Defense Ministry also said the Russian Armed Forces continue to carry out combat missions on the line of contact with the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Some context: Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is the chief of private military group Wagner, accused Russian forces of striking a Wagner military camp and killing a “a huge amount” of his fighters, in a series of Telegram messages on Friday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will address the nation “soon,” according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, state media outlet TASS reported.

The news follows claims the Wagner mercenary group has taken military control of a Russian city.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said his forces have control of military facilities in Rostov-on-Don and control of the airfield there.

“We are at headquarters at 7:30 a.m. Military facilities in Rostov, including the airfield are under [our] control,” Prigozhin said in a video posted on the Wagner official Telegram channel.

“Planes that leave for combat work leave as usual no problems. Medical flights are leaving as usual. All we did was to take control so that the attack aviation would not strike us but strike in the Ukrainian direction.”

Prigozhin said he is in Rostov-on-Don and his men are not stopping the officers from carrying out their duties. 

“The main headquarters, the main control point is working as normal, there are no problems. No officers have been cut off,” Prigozhin said. 

CNN cannot independently verify his claims.

The fact that Russia’s domestic intelligence agency the Federal Security Service (FSB) opened a criminal case against Yevgeny Prigozhin suggests that Russian President Vladimir Putin has turned on the Wagner chief, a former CIA officer said.

“In my mind when the FSB says, ‘we see this is a criminal act and we’re investigating it,’ that to me means that Putin is right on top of it,” Steve Hall, a former career CIA officer and now CNN contributor, told CNN.

Prigozhin “knows precisely what his risk is… which is kind of interesting when you think about it, because that means he must have calculated that he can pull this off,” Hall said.

“A guy like Prigozhin knows what the risks are and knows that if it doesn’t go well for him, it’s going to go really badly,” he added.

Video released by the Wagner group on its official Telegram channel reportedly shows its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don.

The video was posted on Saturday morning.

Russian President Vladimir Putin “should be very nervous” after Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed his troops were moving against Russia’s military leadership, former US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor said.

Russia’s FSB security service accused Prigozhin of calling for an “armed rebellion” when he vowed retaliation after claiming Moscow’s military killed a “huge amount” of his mercenaries in a strike on a camp.

“He’s probably watching very carefully. He should be very nervous. He’s got big problems here. He’s got the military that is now diverting its attention to one of its own, to Prigozhin, to the Wagner group,” Taylor told CNN.

Taylor said it was a “very important” moment for Ukraine.

“Ukrainians are now wrapping up their counteroffensive. This is the perfect timing for the Ukrainians to really take advantage of this chaos in Moscow, chaos in the Russian military,” he said.

The governor of Voronezh oblast, in southwestern Russia, said that “a convoy of military equipment is moving along the M-4 Don Federal Highway.”

The M-4 is a highway connecting Voronezh and Rostov-on-Don. Voronezh is directly north of the Rostov region, where Yevgeny Prigozhin said his Wagner fighters were approaching the city of Rostov.

“A convoy of military equipment is moving along the M-4 Don Federal Highway. We request all residents of Voronezh Oblast to temporarily refrain from using the M-4 Don Federal Highway and personal vehicles,” said Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev in an update.
“The situation is under control. The region’s power structures are taking all the necessary measures to ensure the safety of the region’s residents.”

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has said that Russian Guards and military police are joining the Wagner group.

In an audio recording from Prigozhin Saturday and translated by CNN, he claimed that, “Where soldiers meet us, the Russian Guards and military police, they wave their hands cheerfully.” 

The Wagner chief claimed in the recording that between 60 and 70 soldiers from the Russian military have joined Wagner forces.

CNN cannot independently verify the claims.

Yevgeny Prigozhin is the chief of Russia’s private mercenary group Wagner, which has been at the forefront of much of the fighting in Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Prigozhin has known Russian President Vladimir Putin since the 1990s. He became a wealthy oligarch by winning lucrative catering contracts with the Kremlin, earning him the moniker “Putin’s chef.”

His transformation into a brutal warlord came in the aftermath of the 2014 Russian-backed separatist movements in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine.

Prigozhin founded Wagner to be a shadowy mercenary outfit that fought both in eastern Ukraine and, increasingly, for Russian-backed causes around the world.

CNN has tracked Wagner mercenaries in the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique, Ukraine and Syria. Over the years they have developed a particularly gruesome reputation and have been linked to various human rights abuses.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: Prigozhin’s political star rocketed in Russia after Moscow’s full invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

While many regular Russian troops saw setbacks on the battlefield, Wagner fighters seemed to be the only ones capable of delivering tangible progress.

Known for its disregard for the lives of its own soldiers, the Wagner group’s brutal and often lawless tactics are believed to have resulted in high numbers of casualties, as new recruits are sent into battle with little formal training – a process described by retired United States Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling as “like feeding meat to a meat grinder.”

Prigozhin has used social media to lobby for what he wants and often feuded with Russia’s military leadership, casting himself as competent and ruthless in contrast to the military establishment.

Disagreements with Russian leadership: His disagreements with Russia’s top brass exploded into the public domain during the grim and relentless battle for Bakhmut during which he repeatedly accused the military leadership of failing to supply his troops with enough ammunition.

Putin presides over what is often described as a court system, where infighting and competition among elites is in fact encouraged to produce results, as long as the “vertical of power” remains loyal to and answers to the head of state.

But Prigozhin’s increasingly outrageous outbursts have sparked speculation in recent weeks that even he could be going too far.

Read more here.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Russian private military group Wagner, on Friday accused Russia’s military leadership of killing a “huge amount” of his mercenary forces in a strike on a camp.

And he vowed to retaliate. “Many dozens, tens of thousands of lives, of Russian soldiers will be punished,” Prigozhin said. “I ask that nobody put up any resistance.”

In a later Telegram post, Prigozhin said that his criticism of the military leadership was a “march of justice” and not a coup. 

His comments prompted Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) to launch a criminal case, accusing the mercenary force’s chief of calling for “armed rebellion,” the state news agency TASS reported.

Here’s the latest on the situation unfolding in Russia:

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said Saturday his units were hit by a helicopter on a highway and threatened to “destroy everything” in his way, in an audio message posted on his Telegram channel.

It’s unclear exactly where the units were.

“One of the assault squads came under fire from the helicopters. The Wagner units are intact, the helicopter is destroyed and is burning in the forest,” Prigozhin said, adding “we will take it as a threat and destroy everything around us.” 

CNN is unable to verify these claims and any video evidence of this.

Prigozhin also said his units are “ready to die.” 

“Because we are dying for the Russian people, that must be liberated from those people who are striking at the civilian population, which they just hit in Rostov from helicopters,” he said. 

This comes as Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Saturday in a Telegram post that “in connection with the incoming information, antiterrorist measures are being taken in Moscow aimed at strengthening security measures.” 

“Additional control on the roads has been introduced. Limitations on holding the public events are possible,” Sobyanin added. 

Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin says that “anti-terrorist measures” are being carried out in the city as a result of “incoming information,” according to an update on his Telegram group.

The measures include “additional control on the roads” and “limitations on holding public events.”

US officials determined as early as January that there was an internal power struggle underway between the mercenary Wagner Group and the Russian government, and have been gathering and closely monitoring intelligence on the volatile dynamic ever since.

As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine stalled earlier this year, top American officials said they saw indications of tension between the Kremlin and the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin. They said they believed those tensions would mount over the coming months.

Officials said their assessments of the situation derived from intelligence, an indication of how seriously the White House and Pentagon took the potential for a power struggle to cause further instability in the ongoing conflict.

In January, a top White House official said Wagner was becoming a “rival power center to the Russian military and other Russian militaries.”

Officials suggested at the time that Prigozhin was working to advance his own interests in Ukraine instead of the broader Russian objectives. 

The Wagner Group, which the West claimed had recruited prison convicts for fighting in Ukraine, was making decisions based on “what they will generate for Prigozhin, in terms of positive publicity,” John Kirby, the National Security Council spokesman, said in January.

Since then, White House and other US national security aides have been highly attuned to what one official said was an “ongoing battle” between Prigozhin and the Russian defense ministry. 

Read more here.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the private military group Wagner, said his fighters are entering the Russian Rostov region, which neighbors Ukraine.

“Now we are entering Rostov. The units of the Ministry of Defense, or rather the conscripts, who were thrown to block our road, stepped aside,” Prigozhin said, adding that at the moment his units “have crossed the state border in all places.”

“The border guards came out to meet and hugged our fighters,” he said.

Prigozhin also accused Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov of “making a decision to destroy the disobedient units (of Wagner PMC) that are ready to protect their Motherland.” 

Prigozhin warned against anyone obstructing him: “We will destroy everything that gets in our way,” he said.

The Wagner chief’s statement comes as Russian state media TASS reported a stepped-up police presence in Rostov late Friday.

CNN cannot independently verify these claims.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine’s presidential administration, reacted on Friday to the frenzy surrounding the Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and his latest claims against Russia’s military leadership.

In a tweet posted in English, Podolyak said: “Tumultuous times are coming.”

The word Oprichniki refers to members of the bodyguard troops established by Ivan the Terrible, which terrorized people who opposed the tsar.

President Vladimir Putin is aware “of the situation unfolding around Yevgeny Prigozhin,” Russian state media TASS said Friday, referring to the leader of the Wagner Group.

He is also aware that Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) initiated a criminal case accusing the mercenary force’s chief of calling for “armed rebellion” on Friday, TASS reported.

According to TASS, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said the allegations spread by Prigozhin “have no basis.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said Putin is aware of the situation and “all necessary measures are being taken,” according to state media RIA Novosti. 

Some context. Prigozhin on Friday accused Russian military leadership of striking a Wagner military camp and killing a “huge amount” of his mercenary forces. Prigozhin claimed that the Russian Ministry of Defense tricked Wagner and he vowed to “respond to these atrocities.” 

Prigozhin and Wagner have played a prominent role in the Ukraine war, and the leader has repeatedly and publicly feuded with Russia’s defense heads over what he said was a lack of ammunition, at one point recording a video of him lashing out while standing in front of what he claimed were dead bodies of his fighters.

The chief of the Wagner private military group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Friday accused Russian military leadership of striking a Wagner military camp and killing a “huge amount” of his mercenary forces.

Prigozhin claimed that the Russian Ministry of Defense tricked Wagner and he vowed to “respond to these atrocities.” 

“They sneakily deceived us, trying to deprive us of the opportunity to defend our homes and instead hunt down Wagner PMC. We were ready to compromise with the Ministry of Defense to hand over our weapons and find a solution how we will continue to defend our country. But these scumbags did not calm down,” Prigozhin said in a voice note posted on Telegram.

“They saw that we weren’t broken and they launched strikes on our camps. A huge amount of our fighters were killed, our comrades in arms. We will make a decision about how to respond to these atrocities. The next step is ours,” he continued, alleging that “they wiped out dozens.”

Russia’s Ministry of Defense denied the allegation in a Telegram post Friday, calling the messages and videos spreading on social networks on behalf of Prigozhin about the event “untrue” and “an informational provocation.”

Prigozhin claimed that the “evil that is being carried out” by Russia’s military leadership “must be stopped” following the alleged attack. “They disregard the lives of soldiers, they have forgotten the word ‘justice,’” Prigozhin said in the voice recording. 

“The details started to appear; Minister of Defense arrived to Rostov especially to conduct an operation to destroy Wagner PMC. He used artillerymen and helicopter pilots undercover to destroy us,” Prigozhin added. 

Prigozhin vows retaliation: “Many dozens, tens of thousands of lives, of Russian soldiers will be punished,” Prigozhin said. “I ask that nobody put up any resistance. Those who show such resistance, we will consider it a threat and destroy them immediately. This includes any roadblocks standing in our way, any aircraft seen over our heads.”

He asked people to stay at home and “remain calm, not to be provoked.”

In a later Telegram post, Prigozhin said that by criticizing Russian military leadership, he is carrying out a “march of justice” and not a “military coup,” alleging that a majority of Russian service members support Wagner.  

“Finally, you will make them supply us with ammunition and make them stop using us as cannon fodder,” Prigozhin added.

More background: Earlier on Friday, Prigozhin furthered his ongoing dispute with military leaders in a highly critical video interview where he said Moscow invaded Ukraine under false pretenses devised by the Russian Ministry of Defense, and that Russia is actually losing ground on the battlefield.

And earlier this month, the Wagner boss said he won’t sign contracts with Russia’s defense ministry, rejecting an attempt to bring his force in line. His comments came after an announcement by the Russian Ministry of Defense that “volunteer units” and private military groups would be required to sign a contract with the ministry.

Prigozhin and Wagner have played a prominent role in the Ukraine war. In May he said his troops had capture Bakhmut in a costly and largely symbolic gain for Russia.

The Wagner chief has previously criticized Russia’s traditional military hierarchy, blaming Russian defense chiefs for “tens of thousands” of casualties and stating that divisions could end in a “revolution.”

He also accused Russian military leaders “sit like fat cats” in “luxury offices,” while his fighters are “dying,” and later accused the Russian Defense Ministry of trying to sabotage his troops’ withdrawal from Bakhmut, claiming the ministry laid mines along the exit routes.

CNN’s Katharina Krebs, Lindsay Isaac, Uliana Pavlova, Radina Gigova, Josh Pennington contributed reporting to this post.