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☆ In Urgent Need of Ammunition, Ukraine Speeds Its Own Production
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Gaya Gupta | Alina Lobzina | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

When an office building next to her gleaming glass residential skyscraper in Moscow was hit by a drone filled with explosives early on Sunday, Mari Kletanina seemed worried. “People are consciously or unconsciously ignoring it,” wrote Aleksandr Kynev, a Russian political analyst. “This is the time of сonflict, a conflict of interests, so this is a natural procedure,” Mr. Yzakov said. “We live in a difficult time.”Russian government officials seemed to be more serious about the threat. “If attacks continue, then there will be no new sales at the current prices.”

Persons: Mari Kletanina, Kletanina, ”, Aleksandr Kynev, “, Mirlan Yzakov, Mr, Yzakov, Maria Zakharova, Dmitri S, Peskov, ” Andrei Perla, Vladimir V, Putin, Maksim Khodyrev, Khodyrev Organizations: Russian Foreign Ministry Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Kremlin

☆ Putin says Ukrainian attacks intensify as Kyiv touts steady gains
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

July 27 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Ukraine had intensified its frontline attacks over the last few days while a Ukrainian official said Kyiv was making slow but steady progress in liberating its territory. Meanwhile, Putin told Russian television that every Ukrainian assault had been beaten back, and that Moscow's forces had inflicted significant losses on their opponents. However, Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar wrote on Telegram that Ukrainian forces were "gradually moving forward" near Bakhmut, and that fighting was ongoing near Klischiivka, Kudriumivka and Andriivka. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at a session of Russia-Africa summit in Saint Petersburg, Russia, July 27, 2023. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed "very good results" on the battlefield in an address on Tuesday evening, promising to give details later.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Yuriy Sak, Putin, Hanna Maliar, Alexei Danichev, Maliar, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Aleksandr Khodakovsky, Sak, Max Hunder, Felix Light, Mark Trevelyan, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Kyiv, Reuters, Russian, Sputnik, Lyman, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Klishchiivka, Bakhmut, Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia, Klischiivka, Russian, Russia, Africa, Saint Petersburg, Kupiansk, Kyiv, Staromaiorske, Moscow

The recent high school graduate selected her wardrobe carefully as she headed off to a summer folk festival. She dressed all in white, as is customary for the event, and wore a large flower wreath in her golden hair. But when it came to choosing a sash for her skirt, she grabbed a brown leather band, avoiding the color red. In Belarus, red and white are the colors of the protest movement against the country’s authoritarian leader, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko. After claiming victory in a widely disputed presidential election three years ago — and violently crushing the outraged protests that followed — Mr. Lukashenko has ushered in a chilling era of repression.

Persons: Aleksandr G, Lukashenko, ”, — Mr Locations: Belarus

☆ Satellite Images of Belarusian Base Suggest Wagner’s Possible Arrival
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Christoph Koettl | More About Christoph Koettl | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Satellite images, analyzed by The New York Times, showed increased activity this weekend at a military field camp in Belarus, including the arrival of vehicles that resemble those used by the Russian mercenary group Wagner. The vehicles are the same types as those recently seen driving in large convoys, some flying Wagner flags. To end the short-lived revolt, President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus brokered a deal in which the mercenaries would be given sanctuary in Belarus. The satellite images do not conclusively prove that Wagner forces are at the camp, but bolster statements by Ukraine’s allies that some Wagner troops have reached Belarus. On Saturday, a Polish official said some Wagner fighters had arrived in Belarus.

Persons: Wagner, Vladimir V, Putin, Aleksandr G, Lukashenko, Ukraine’s Organizations: The New York Times, British Ministry of Defense Locations: Belarus, Russian, Asipovichy, Minsk, Ukraine, Russia, ”

CNN —Russian President Vladimir Putin has proposed to Wagner Group fighters that a senior mercenary named Andrey Troshev now command the private military group, according to comments the Russian leader made to the Kommersant newspaper. Who is Andrey Troshev? “Andrey Troshev is directly involved in the military operations of the Wagner Group in Syria. Troshev is also associated with Wagner group commanders Aleksandr Sergeevich Kuznetsov and Andrey Bogatov. Members of Wagner group sit atop of a tank in a street in the city of Rostov-on-Don, on June 24, 2023.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Andrey Troshev, Putin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, –, ‘, ” Putin, Troshev, “ Andrey Troshev, Bashar al, “ Andrey Nikolaevich Troshev, ”, Dimitriy Utkin, Aleksandr Sergeevich Kuznetsov, Andrey Bogatov, Roman Romokhov, Prigozhin, Alexander Lukashenko Organizations: CNN, Wagner Group, Kommersant, Prigozhin, Wagner, European Union, Soviet Union, Federal District, Red Star, Courage, Merit, Fatherland, Kremlin, Getty, Troshev, Belarusian Locations: Russian, France, Syria, Leningrad, Deir, United Kingdom, Chechnya, Afghanistan, Soviet Union, Rostov, AFP, Ukraine, Belarus, Belarusian, Russia, St . Petersburg

MOSCOW, July 12 (Reuters) - Russia is decaying in a potent brew of absurdity and repression that is comparable to the Leonid Brezhnev-era of the Soviet Union, Oleg Orlov, one of the Russia's most respected human rights campaigners, told Reuters. One of the leaders of the Memorial rights group, which won a share of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 a year after being banned and dissolved in Russia, Orlov stood by his articles and cast Russia as a country gripped by the demons of history. "Russia is going backwards," Orlov told Reuters in his Moscow flat over a glass of the traditional fermented kvas. "For Putin, war is his political technology," Orlov said. Current Russian levels of repression, he said, could be compared to the Brezhnev era of the Soviet Union after the arrest of writers Andrei Sinyavsky and Yuli Daniel in 1965.

Persons: Leonid Brezhnev, Oleg Orlov, Orlov, Wagner, Russia, Vladimir Putin's, Putin, Brezhnev, Andrei Sinyavsky, Yuli Daniel, unpatriotic, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's, William Faulkner, Fyodor Dostoevsky's, Tatiana, Guy Faulconbridge, Filipp Lebedev, Nick Macfie Organizations: Reuters, Memorial, Solidarity, West, Thomson Locations: MOSCOW, Russia, Soviet Union, Moscow, Ukraine, Soviet, Afghanistan, Chechen, Russian, Tbilisi

Mr. Putin invited 35 people to the three-hour meeting on June 29, including Mr. Prigozhin and all of Wagner’s top commanders, the Kremlin spokesman said. “The only thing we can say is that the president gave his assessment of the company’s actions” during both the war in Ukraine and the uprising, Mr. Peskov said. Mr. Putin promised the harshest punishment for those who had “consciously chosen the path of betrayal.”But the harsh punishments didn’t come. The following week, on July 6, Mr. Peskov said the Kremlin had neither the “ability nor the desire” to track Mr. Prigozhin’s movements. The Kremlin spokesman added, “The details of it are unknown.”

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Vladimir V, Putin, Yevgeny V, Prigozhin, Dmitri S, Peskov, Prigozhin hasn’t, “ Putin, Mr, “, —, Roman, Sergei K, Shoigu, Staff Valery V, Aleksandr G, Lukashenko, Libération, ” Organizations: Kremlin, Mr, Defense Ministry, Agence France, Defense, Staff Locations: Rostov, Don, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Bakhmut, Moscow, Belarusian, Belarus

☆ Prigozhin went back to Russia to get the pistol gifted to him by the defense minister he tried to oust
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Among the weapons he reclaimed was an honorary pistol given to him by Russia's defense minister. After months of castigating Russian military leaders, including Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Prigozhin set about trying to depose them. Among the treasures Prigozhin reportedly recovered was an honorary Glock pistol that had previously been given to him by Shoigu — the very defense official Prigozhin sought to oust — before the men's relationship soured. "It's not the end of Prigozhin," the unnamed St. Petersburg businessman told The Post on Wednesday. An anonymous Pentagon official told The Times that Prigozhin had been between Moscow and St. Petersburg during most of the time since the revolt.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, —, Vladimir Putin's, Sergei Shoigu, Putin, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Fontanka, Shoigu, It's, Glock Organizations: Service, Group, Independent, Washington Post, Kremlin, The New York Times, Federal Security Services, BMW, Glock, Pentagon, Times Locations: Russia, Russian, Belarus, St, Petersburg, Independent Russian, St . Petersburg, Moscow

☆ Lukashenko Says Prigozhin Is in Russia, Not Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Matthew Mpoke Bigg | Juston Jones | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

MINSK, Belarus — The mercenary leader Yevgeny V. Prigozhin is in Russia, the leader of Belarus said on Thursday, adding to the questions swirling around Mr. Prigozhin’s fate nearly two weeks after he called off his stunning armed rebellion against Moscow’s military leadership. None of Mr. Lukashenko’s claims could be verified, and Mr. Prigozhin has not been seen in public since the rebellion nearly two weeks ago. Mr. Prigozhin was “not on the territory of Belarus,” Mr. Lukashenko said, and nor were Wagner troops, who he said remained in their “permanent camps,” believed to be in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine. Mr. Lukashenko also signaled that at least some of Wagner’s fighting force — which was instrumental in Russia’s capture of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut this spring — could stay intact. But on Thursday, Mr. Lukashenko appeared less definitive about the possible presence of Wagner troops in Belarus.

Persons: Yevgeny V, Aleksandr G, Lukashenko, Prigozhin, Wagner, Lukashenko’s, ” Mr, ”, Vladimir V, “, Dmitri S, Mr, Putin, ’, Putin’s, Anatoly Kurmanaev, Ivan Nechepurenko Organizations: Independence, Kremlin, Russia, The New York Times, West, Mr Locations: MINSK, Belarus, Russia, Russian, St, Petersburg, Luhansk, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Belarusian, Minsk, Moscow

☆ Russian 'troll factory' accused of interfering in US elections shuts down after exile of Wagner boss
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russia's "troll factory," accused of interfering in US elections, has been shut down. The factory was created by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the now-exiled leader of the Wagner mercenary group. The Moscow Times reported last week that — with Prigozhin gone — the Internet Research Agency was looking for new management. "I was never just a financier of the Internet Research Agency," he said. Nevskiye Novosti, a Patriot Media Group newspaper located in St. Petersburg, announced it shut down on Friday.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, —, Prigozhin, Yevgeny Zubarev —, Patriot Media Group —, Aleksandr Beglov, Andrei Krasnobayev, Vladimir Putin, Putin Organizations: Service, Internet Research Agency, Moscow Times, Reuters, US Treasury Department, RIA, Patriot Media Group, Kremlin, Petersburg Gov, Radio Free, Novosti, Putin, Catering, Concord Catering, Time Locations: Russia, Moscow, Belarus, United States, St, Petersburg, Nevskiye Novosti, St . Petersburg, Russian, Concord, Prague

☆ Ukraine Says It Is Ready for Arrival of Wagner Troops in Belarus
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-01 | by ( Megan Specia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As Belarus has ratcheted up its messaging about plans to offer refuge — and possibly work — to Wagner group mercenaries after a failed rebellion in Russia, Ukrainian forces say they are ready for any potential threat from their neighbor to the north. In recent days, Ukrainian officials have tried to tamp down concerns while heralding their preparations, with President Volodymyr Zelensky nodding to plans for reinforcing the border in his overnight address into Saturday and top commanders emphasizing that no current threat had been found. Mr. Zelensky indicated that Ukrainian intelligence was monitoring the situation closely, adding, “We very carefully analyze every fact and any prospects in all directions.” Ukraine’s top generals were “instructed to strengthen the northern direction — to guarantee peace,” he said. This week, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, the Kremlin-aligned autocratic leader of Belarus, invited members of the Wagner group who had participated in a rebellion against Russian forces to relocate to an “abandoned” military base in his country. New satellite imagery from Thursday and Friday, analyzed by The New York Times, shows that more than 250 tents, enough to house thousands of troops, have been erected in the past five days at an unused base.

Persons: —, Wagner, Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, Ukraine’s, “, ”, Aleksandr G, Lukashenko Organizations: The New York Times Locations: Belarus, Russia, Ukrainian

Atlanta/Hong Kong CNN —Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko has invited Wagner Group mercenaries to his country to train its military. The Wagner leader was last spotted leaving the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don last Saturday, after abruptly calling off his troops’ march on Moscow. Media group shut downLukashenko’s speech came as a Russian media group associated with Prigozhin shut down its operations. Russian state media TASS reported Friday that the Russian media regulator Roskomnadzor has restricted access to media sites belonging to Patriot. Prigozhin, the founder of the private military company Wagner, had recently held the position of deputy head of the Patriot’s supervisory board.

Persons: Aleksandr Lukashenko, Wagner, Lukashenko, ” Lukashenko, defusing, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, ”, Putin, Prigozhin, Don, Yevgeny Zubarev, Zubarev Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Wagner Group, Belarus ’, European Union, Media, Prigozhin’s Patriot, Federal News Agency, People’s, Economy, Politics, TASS Locations: Atlanta, Hong Kong, Belarus, Belarusian, Moscow, Russian, United States, Poland, “, Russia, Ukraine, Rostov, Minsk, Nevskiye Novosti

When he finally emerged for a five-minute televised speech on Monday night, the Russian leader skirted a host of questions to insist that the Russian government was presenting a united front to all threats. TUESDAY, JUNE 27:Mr. Putin’s spent a busy day in front of television cameras, portraying the rebellion as a heroic episode for the Russian state. In a televised meeting with military service members in Moscow, Mr. Putin suggested that Mr. Prigozhin — whose name he has refused to utter — or people linked to him might be guilty of graft. And in a grandly choreographed outdoor appearance at the Kremlin, Mr. Putin descended a red-carpeted staircase to deliver a speech from a stage on the medieval-era Cathedral Square. Later, Mr. Putin fed speculation about a broader crackdown in a closed-door meeting with Russian media figures at the Kremlin, presenting himself as a leader in total control.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin, Mr, Wagner, Yevgeny V, Prigozhin, —, Aleksandr G, Lukashenko, ”, Putin’s, Prigozhin — Organizations: Kremlin Locations: Russia, Russian, Moscow, Belarus, Dagestan

☆ Opinion | Are We Seeing Cracks in Putin’s Regime?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( The Ezra Klein Show | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last weekend, in the course of about 36 hours, Vladimir Putin faced — and then survived — one of the most serious challenges to his rule in over 20 years. Then, as suddenly as the rebellion began, it was over: Prigozhin was quickly exiled to Belarus without facing criminal charges — an outcome that shocked many Russia watchers. What are the implications for the future of Putin’s rule — and the broader war in Ukraine? [You can listen to this episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google or wherever you get your podcasts.] There are few people who understand the Putin regime as deeply as Stephen Kotkin, a pre-eminent scholar of Russian history at Stanford.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, —, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Putin, “, Ezra Klein, Stephen Kotkin, Putin didn’t, Aleksandr Lukashenko Organizations: Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google, Stanford Locations: Russian, Moscow, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine

☆ ‘You have to ask for help if you need it’: Billie Jean King encourages tennis players struggling with demands of the tour to seek support
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Billie Jean King has urged players that are struggling with the demands of being a tennis professional to seek support from psychologists. “Being a pro-athlete is hard,” tennis great King, who won 39 major titles, told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. “The WTA [Women’s Tennis Association] has been fantastic with mental health for years, but people would say: ‘Why aren’t you doing anything?’Billie Jean King says support is available for players on the WTA Tour. The governing body has provided staff that are dedicated to athletes’ mental health for more than 25 years, with a Mental Health Care Provider available in person at tournaments, including all four grand slams, and there are virtual meetings available upon request in between tournaments. Naomi Osaka withdrew from the 2021 French Open, citing her mental health.

Persons: Billie Jean King, Naomi Osaka, Sabalenka, “, Emma Raducanu, King, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, JP Yim, Kathleen Stroia, Ukraine –, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Tim Clayton, Raducanu, ”, hadn't, Clive Brunskill, “ We’ve, I’ve, ’ ” Organizations: CNN, WTA, Mental Health, ‘, Virginia Slims Circuit, WTA Tour, Wimbledon Locations: Paris, Ukraine, Osaka, Belarus

But now, as Mr. Putin seeks to project an image of restored stability and control, he has been putting his defense minister on display, even if Mr. Shoigu has not addressed the public or even been heard speaking. Mr. Shoigu was also present on Monday as Mr. Putin convened a meeting of his top security chiefs. On Tuesday, as Mr. Putin praised his security forces in a grandly choreographed speech, Mr. Shoigu was again present, wearing his military uniform. Mr. Shoigu, who was a very popular minister of emergency situations before becoming defense minister in 2012, has had a long and friendly relationship with Mr. Putin. Mr. Putin may have kept both men in charge as part of his decades-long efforts to place the sprawling Russian military more under his control.

Persons: Vladimir V, Sergei K, Shoigu, Valery V, Putin, Yevgeny V, Wagner, ” Mr, Gerasimov, Mr, Prigozhin, Ramzan Kadyrov, —, ”, ” Andrei Guryulov, Aleksandr Dugin, Aleksandr G, Lukashenko, Dugin, Long, General Gerasimov, It’s, Andrei Soldatov, Putin “, ” Oleg Matsnev Organizations: Putin, Cuban, National Defense Control Center of Russia, Russian military’s Zvezda, United, Defense Ministry, General Staff Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, United States, Cuba, Russian, Ukrainian, Lyman, Chechnya, United Russia, Belarus

CNN —Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko claims he convinced Russian leader Vladimir Putin not to “destroy” the Wagner group and its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, talking up his role in halting the mercenaries’ military insurrection that caused crisis in Russia at the weekend. Let’s talk with Prigozhin, with his commanders.”Lukashenko – a longtime ally of the Russian President – said Putin told him: “Listen, Alex, it’s useless. There were 10 times more swear words (I later analyzed them) than normal vocabulary,” Lukashenko added, describing his interactions with a foul-mouthed Prigozhin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Lukashenko was able to draw on a personal relationship with Prigozhin to reach the deal, which would also see Wagner troops and equipment absorbed by the Russian military. Lukashenko said Tuesday that Prigozhin has received his personal assurances of safety, and the safety of his men, in order to defuse the rebellion on Saturday evening.

Persons: Aleksandr Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Lukashenko, ” Lukashenko, Putin, ” Lukashenko –, –, Alex, ”, Dmitry Peskov, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu –, “ Organizations: CNN, Federal Security Service Locations: Belarus, Russian, Russia, Moscow, Belarusian, Minsk

☆ Belarus' dictator says he talked Putin out of assassinating Prigozhin: 'Yes, we could take him out'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Belarus' president said that he talked Vladimir Putin out of assassinating Yevgeny Prigozhin. Prigozhin attempted to march on Moscow in an armed revolt against the Russian defense ministry. "I said to Putin, 'Yes we could take him out, it wouldn't be a problem, if it doesn't work the first time then the second,'" Lukashenko said in a speech Tuesday. Had Putin decided to follow through with this plan there wouldn't be any negotiations, Lukashenko said, according to state-run media agency BelTA. After Prigozhin's attempted mutiny, Putin announced an agreement in which Prigozhin could live in exile in neighboring Belarus, but Putin has since said traitors would be "brought to justice," suggesting that the Wagner leader could face consequences.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Lukashenko, Prigozhin, —, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Putin, Shaun Walker ., Prigozhin's, Wagner Organizations: Service, Wagner Group, Twitter Locations: Belarus, Moscow, Russia

☆ After Prigozhin’s Uprising, Yesterday’s Putin Is Gone - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Andrei Kolesnikov | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Mr. Putin today is not who he was last week. Is Mr. Putin really the all-powerful, czar-like figure they thought he was? Mr. Prigozhin, while becoming a relatively popular figure among certain groups, was never a serious or convincing candidate as a national leader. First, he said that to defeat the enemy in Ukraine, Russians should tighten their belts and be ready to live like North Koreans. Replace Mr. Putin, his teacher in the profession of gaining power?

Persons: Putin, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Putin’s, Aleksandr Lukashenko of, Wagner Locations: Ukraine, North Koreans, Russia, Moscow, Aleksandr Lukashenko of Belarus, Russian

☆ A former US ambassador to Russia says Putin is showing how weak he is by relying on Belarus' Lukashenko to help him resolve the Wagner uprising
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

John Sullivan told CBS that Putin's reliance on Belarus to solve his problems shows "actual weakness." Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko helped to resolve the Wagner Group's uprising on Saturday. "It's not just an appearance of weakness, it's actual weakness," Sullivan said. It's not just an appearance of weakness, it's actual weakness," Ambassador John J. Sullivan told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday. As part of the deal, Prigozhin will go into exile in Belarus in exchange for not being prosecuted for the uprising.

Persons: John Sullivan, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Wagner, It's, Sullivan, —, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Lukashenko, what's, John J, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Mick Ryan, Insider's Katherine Tangalakis Organizations: CBS, Service, Wagner Group, Russian, New York Times, Associated Press, Putin Locations: Belarus, Russia, Prigozhin, Rostov, Russian, Moscow

☆ Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin breaks his silence, expresses 'regret' for destroying Russian military aircraft
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Wagner mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin posted an 11-minute audio message on Telegram Monday. In the message, the Wagner boss expresses "regret" for shooting down Russian military aircraft. Prigozhin expressed no regret for his march, however, claiming the "public demanded it." "We regret that we had to hit air assets, but those assets were dropping bombs and launching missile strikes," Prigozhin said. He also wanted accountability for Russia's military leadership, namely Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, —, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Wagner's, Sergei Shoigu, Staff Valery Gerasimov Organizations: Service, Russian, Russian Ministry of Defense, Staff, Wagner PMC Locations: Belarus, Moscow, Belarusian, Ukraine, Russia, Rostov, Africa

☆ One Big Winner of Kremlin-Wagner Clash? The Dictator Next Door.
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Valerie Hopkins | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Vladimir V. Putin is known for his tight control over the news media in Russia. His onetime ally, the Wagner military group founder Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, is himself the owner of a conservative media outlet and a flamboyant showman on social media. But on Sunday, he took credit for brokering an agreement between Mr. Putin and Mr. Prigozhin, averting a scenario that the Russian leader had compared to the civil war that followed the Revolution of 1917. Now Mr. Lukashenko, an international pariah, is trying to use the P.R. victory to burnish his credentials as a credible statesman, mediator — and above all, loyal ally to Mr. Putin.

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin, Wagner, Yevgeny V, Prigozhin’s, Aleksandr G, Lukashenko, Prigozhin, —, Mr Organizations: Mr Locations: Russia, Belarus, Belarusian

☆ Russia’s State Media Blamed Prigozhin, But Some Criticism of Putin Surfaced
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Neil Macfarquhar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

“Armed mutiny in Russia is not supported by the society,” said Dmitry Kiselyov, the anchor and senior Kremlin propagandist whose program — Vesti Nedelu or “News of the Week” — sets the tone for the government monopoly on broadcast news. “Treason in the time of war is a grave crime.”The newscast then showed in full Mr. Putin’s vehement, 5-minute speech from Saturday morning, in which he accused Mr. Prigozhin, without mentioning his name, of stabbing Russia in the back. Within hours of that address, the vows that Mr. Prigozhin would face criminal prosecution for his actions had evaporated. All news outlets carried the statement from Dmitri S. Peskov, the presidential spokesman, who broke the dramatic tension by announcing a behind-the-scenes deal credited to President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of neighboring Belarus. In exchange for standing down, Mr. Prigozhin was granted safe passage out of the country and his troops were forgiven.

Persons: Yevgeny V, ”, Dmitry Kiselyov, Putin’s, Prigozhin, Dmitri S, Aleksandr G, Lukashenko Organizations: Kremlin Locations: Moscow, Russia, Belarus

☆ US says Wagner Group rebellion reveals 'extraordinary' cracks in the 'Russian facade'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's mercenary Wagner Group rebelled this weekend, nearly reaching Moscow before calling it off. The Wagner Group, a powerful paramilitary organization led by former Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin, took over a Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don without issue on Saturday and then continued to push toward Moscow. Blinken was just one of many US officials monitoring the situation in Russia on Saturday as the Wagner Group marched toward Moscow. "I think we've seen more cracks emerge in the Russian facade," Blinken added. "We'll see if this means that Wagner forces are coming out of Ukraine.

Persons: Wagner, Antony Blinken, Blinken, —, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Putin, it's, Africa — Organizations: Wagner Group, Service, Russian, Wagner, NBC News Locations: Moscow, Russian, Rostov, Belarus, Russia, Kyiv, Ukraine, Africa

☆ Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin hasn't spoken publicly in the 24 hours since he ended his rebellion
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-25 | by ( Charles R. Davis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

As of Sunday afternoon, Yevgeny Prigozhin had not posted to Telegram for more than 24 hours. The Wagner boss normally shares multiple posts a day with his more than 640,000 followers. But ever since announcing an abrupt end to his rebellion in a 58-second audio message, the normally outspoken Wagner boss has gone silent. Prigozhin, in his last message, claimed he was ending his march on Moscow to avoid bloodshed. It has now been viewed more than 8.1 million times on his corporate "Concord" press account, which has some 1.3 million followers.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, —, Aleksandr Lukashenko, Prigozhin, Prigozhin —, Don — Organizations: Service, Financial Times Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Concord, Belarus, Rostov, Russian

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