US spy agencies had picked up intelligence in mid-June that Wagner mercenary group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was planning armed action, said a report. There were enough signals to be able to tell leadership [in the US] something was up”, reported The Washington Post, citing an unnamed US official. “So I think they were ready for it.” Mr Prigozhin and his troops won’t face criminal charges over his attempted coup in Russia, the Kremlin said. He will be moved to Belarus, a close ally of Russia, after his mercenary army captured army bases in two Russian cities but called off their advance on Moscow at the 11th hour to “avoid bloodshed”. The move marked a humiliating climbdown for Vladimir Putin after he earlier vowed to take revenge on those behind the mutiny. Wagner’s forces were about four hours away from Moscow when news of the dramatic turnaround came. Earlier on Saturday, Mr Putin’s whereabouts had come into question after an aircraft belonging to the presidency was spotted flying from Moscow to St Petersburg. Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied Mr Putin had fled. Read More Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin? The Wagner mercenary chief urging a ‘civil war’ against Putin Furious Putin calls Wagner coup ‘treason’: ‘This is a stab in the back to everyone in Russia’ Military vehicles on streets of Rostov-on-Don as Wagner chief claims control of HQ Who are Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner mercenary group

Former president Donald Trump took credit for the end of abortion rights enshrined under Roe v Wade, which was overturned by the US Supreme Court a year ago. Mr Trump spoke at the Faith & Freedom Coalition’s Road to Majority Conference on the first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health decision. The crowd gave Mr Trump a standing ovation when he referenced the ruling, a long-sought policy outcome of the religious right. “Exactly one year ago today, those justices were the pivotal votes in the Supreme Court’s landmark decision ending the constitutional atrocity known as Roe v Wade,” he said. The twice-indicted and twice-impeached former president said that what differentiated him from other presidential candidates who attended the conference was that he actually facilitated the end of the enshrined right to seek an abortion, which had been the law of the land for half a century. “Conservatives had been trying for 50 years, exactly 50 years,” he said. The former president gave the closing address at the conference which featured every other Republican presidential candidate, including Florida Gov Ron DeSantis, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, former vice president Mike Pence, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson and Sen Tim Scott (R-SC). But the former president received the largest applause of any of the candidates, even noting how attendees booed Mr Christie, who has staged a longshot candidacy for president largely to criticise Mr Trump. Many Republicans have feared that the end of Roe v Wade cost Republicans otherwise winnable elections during the 2022 midterms. Indeed a survey from NBC News found that 61 per cent of voters disapproved of the Dobbs decision. Mr Trump made his typical attacks on the so-called “radical left”. “We cannot be afraid to take on the Democratic extremists,” he said. “We have to be strong and powerful. That’s why when I’m re-elected I will continue to fight against the demented late-term abortionist and the Democrat Party who believe in unlimited abortion on demand and even executing babies after birth.” Mr Trump said he would support exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. The former president also said that he would seek a federal role on abortion. But the former president did not articulate what federal restrictions he would support. By contrast, Mr Pence, his former vice president, announced his support for a 15-week national abortion ban. “Some have even gone on to blame the overturning of Roe v Wade for election losses in 2022,” Mr Pence said in his address on Friday. “But let me say from my heart, the cause of life is the calling of our time and we must not rest and must not relent until we restore the sanctity of life to the center of American law in every state in this country.” Mr Trump has long boasted of how he got three conservative Supreme Court justices on the bench, which paved the way to the end of federal abortion rights. But Mr Trump has also criticised his Republican rivals for being too harsh when it comes to reproductive freedom. Mr Trump for his part cited numerous policy strides he made on abortion despite the fact that he spent many years as a Democrat who supported abortion rights. In addition, the former president said he would support measures to promote adoption. “I will ask Congress to expand the adoption tax credit,” he said. “We’ll do that because a lot of people have been adopting and that’s a great thing.” But Mr Trump received even louder applause when he spoke about restricting transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports. Numerous Republican legislatures and governors, including Mr DeSantis, have passed and signed legislation both restricting transgender girls’ participation in women’s sports and restricting gender-affirming care for minors. “I will sign into law prohibiting child sexual mutilation in all 50 states,” he said. “And on day one, I will reinstate the Trump ban on transgenders in the military.” He also went further and said that the federal government would not support gender transition care. Despite recently being indicted, the former president received numerous applause when he brought up the slew of legal investigations and the recent charges against him. Mr Trump had pleaded not guilty to both criminal indictments against him. “Every time the radical left Democrats, Marxists communists and fascists indict me, I consider it a great badge of courage,” he said. The former president event attempted to argue that he was a martyr for the evangelical audience. “I’m getting indicted for you,” he told the crowd. Read More Chris Christie defiant as conservative crowd boos Trump criticism Trump news – live: Trump takes credit for Roe downfall as he rambles about Russia’s ‘big mess’ One year later, the Supreme Court's abortion decision is both scorned and praised Biden warns Republicans aren’t done with abortion bans as protesters hit streets on anniversary of Roe’s fall One year later, the Supreme Court's abortion decision is both scorned and praised The religious right used to be uneasy about Trump – but his dominance is now complete

Wagner’s armed rebellion dramatically called off its march towards Moscow on Saturday as it abandoned a coup that saw soldiers take control of the military headquarters in both Rostov and Voronezh. Rogue Russian mercenary fighters had their efforts labelled as “treason” by Vladimir Putin after the shock advance that began on Friday evening. The mutiny, called off when troops were just four hours from the Russian capital in a deal brokered by Belarus, marked one of the most explosive episodes in the country’s war saga to date. The move came after the group’s leader Yevgeny Prigozhin accused the Kremlin of deliberately bombing Wagner troops in Bakhmut. Britain’s Ministry of Defence has called the instalment “the most significant challenge to the Russian state” in a series of events that are set to put the city firmly on the map. Rostov-on-Don, also known as simply Rostov, is the largest city in southern Russia and sits about 100km from the eastern Ukraine border. The population is about one million people and Rostov also houses Russia’s southern military district command and the 58th Combined Arms Army, which is currently engaged in major counteroffensive efforts against Ukraine. Rostov sits almost directly south of Moscow with approximately 1161 km separating the two cities. Despite the distance, a triumphant Prigozhin had said the Wagner fighters’ sights were firmly set on the Russian capital before the 11th hour- climb down to avoid “blood being spilled”. By Saturday afternoon, Wagner troops were inching closer to Moscow after claiming control of military headquarters in Voronezh, a city about halfway between Rostov and Moscow. Prigozhin has said his forces have been attacked by artillery and helicopters since he launched the rogue efforts. However, Putin said the Priogozhin’s “armed mutiny” amounted to treason and was a “mortal blow” to Russia’s troops. Wagner’s taking of Rostov is significant as the city serves as a main rear logistical hub for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, particularly in the country’s east. Increased security measures have been introduced across the capital and its famous Red Square has become blocked off by metal barriers. In one video posted on Saturday morning, Prigozhin said he was at the headquarters of the Southern Military District in Rostov and demanded Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the country’s top general Valery Gerasimov come to meet him. “We have arrived here, we want to receive the chief of the general staff and Shoigu,” Prigozhin said. “Unless they come, we’ll be here, we’ll blockade the city of Rostov and head for Moscow. Prigozhin said in another video multiple military sites in Rostov, including the airfield, were under Wagner’s control. Read More The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary Ukraine-Russia war – live: Furious Putin calls Wagner mutiny ‘treason’ and ‘mortal blow’ to troops Military vehicles on streets of Rostov-on-Don as Wagner chief claims control of HQ Who are Yevgeny Prigozhin and the Wagner mercenary group

Former president Donald Trump referred to the armed rebellion in Russia as a “big mess” on Saturday as insurgent leader Yevgeny Prigozhin turned his Wagner paramilitary forces away from Moscow. “A big mess in Russia, but be careful what you wish for. Next in may be far worse!” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social account. In a separate post, he appeared to invoke news of the latest threats in Russia to baselessly accuse President Joe Biden and his son Hunter of “illegally” collecting money from China and asserting that his rival will “do about Russia whatever President Xi” wants. He went on to claim that the latest assault provides an “unthinkable opportunity” for China to seize “large portions” of Russia. Mr Trump’s rivals in the 2024 Republican presidential race also weighed in on the Wagner crisis which unfolded rapidly on Saturday. By the end of the day, Prigozhin had ordered his forces to halt their march towards Moscow in what Russian officials called an attempted coup. “This is one more piece of evidence that Russia is likely a paper tiger,” GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy alleged in an interview with Fox News. “The idea that Russia has the capabilities that go for Poland or other parts of Western Europe looks increasingly farcical.” Mr Ramaswamy said China remains a “top threat” and the US should remain focused on “deterring Chinese aggression”. He added that if elected president he would urge Russia to end its war in Ukraine on the condition that Russian President Vladmir Putin distance himself from Chinese President Xi Jinping. Former Texas congressman Will Hurd, another long-shot candidate for the GOP nomination, called on the US to help Ukraine implement a no-fly zone to protect the country in the event of an outbreak of civil war in Russia. “In complicated times when our adversaries are trying to displace us as a superpower, it’s common sense to defend the global order that has benefited us and to help our allies,” he tweeted. “Ukraine is not a territorial dispute and Vladimir Putin is a war criminal,” he added. “It shouldn’t be hard to admit this. Even the villainous [Yevgeny] Prigozhin knows this.” Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, another long-shot candidate for the 2024 nomination, called on “peace-loving people around the world” to pray for the “freedom-loving people of Russia.” “The next few days will be crucial,” he wrote on Twitter. “Please pray for God to protect the innocent.” Mr Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris along with cabinet officials and top national security officials were briefed on the crisis throughout the day, according to the White House. The president also spoke with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French president Emmanuel Macron, and German chancellor Olaf Scholz to discuss the situation and “affirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine,” according to a White House readout of the call. Read More Russia-Ukraine war live: Prigozhin calls off Wagner coup on Moscow as Kremlin denies Putin has fled Trump news – live: Trump calls Russia coup ‘a big mess’ in rambling statement

Russia appears to have stepped back from the brink of a full-scale armed mutiny, after the Wagner Group, one of the world’s most powerful private armies, halted a march on Moscow started by a vow for revenge. While the immediate threat seems to have been averted, the unprecedented attack on the Russian military establishment marks the most serious challenge to President Vladimir Putin in the 23 years he has ruled with an iron fist – and the crisis is unlikely to just disappear just because the military convoy halted 125 miles from the Russian capital. Earlier in an extraordinary day, a visibly angry Mr Putin made an emergency address to the nation railing against the attempted coup and said the very existence of the Russian state was at stake. "We are fighting for the lives and security of our people, for our sovereignty and independence,” he said, comparing the Wagner “mutiny” to the 1917 revolution that led to the collapse of imperial Russia. The source of his ire was Yevgeny Prigozhin, the outspoken leader of the Wagner mercenary group, who had vowed to avenge attacks he claimed were perpetrated by the Russian military against his men in eastern Ukraine. Mr Prigozhin vehemently denied accusations of treason and spent the day vowing to fight “until the end.” However, late on Saturday his band of mercenaries halted their march and would turn back “to avoid shedding Russian blood” – in a deal broken by Belarusian president and Russia’s closest ally Alexander Lukashenko. “In a day, we marched to nearly 200km outside of Moscow. In this time, we did not spill a single drop of blood of our fighters,” Mr Prigozhin said in audio messages shared to his Telegram channels. “Now, the moment has come when blood may spill. That’s why, understanding the responsibility of spilling Russian blood on one of the sides, we are turning back our convoys and going back to field camps according to the plan.” It was unclear on Saturday night exactly what the agreement to halt the Wagner convoy entailed, but the Kremlin confirmed that neither Mr Prigozhin nor his troops would face criminal charges over the insurrection. The Kremlin did not confirm Mr Prigozhin’s whereabouts but said he would be moved to Belarus, a close ally of Russia. In a day of dramatic developments: Moscow’s mayor urged all residents to stay in their homes Authorities declared a “counter-terrorist regime” in the capital – enhancing security and restricting some movement. Crews dug up sections of highways to slow the movement of the Wagner convoy There was confusion over Mr Putin’s whereabouts, with the Kremlin denying he had left the city in a plane There were also unconfirmed reports that a number of Russian officials had left the capital, with suggestions that Denis Manturov, a deputy prime minister may have flown to Turkey. The crisis ignited Friday night when Mr Prigozhin, a former hotdog seller turned powerful warlord, issued a string of expletive-riddled audio and video messages. He accused the top Russian military brass of bombing his camp in the eastern region of Donbas, “lying” about the motivations for invading Ukraine, and rampant corruption. As tensions mounted, Mr Putin responded by saying his former confidante was guilty of “armed insurrection” and “treason” and promised to punish those behind the “stab in the back”. Wagner forces – deployed along some of the toughest battle lines in Ukraine – crossed back into Russia, captured the logistical hub of Rostov in the south, and then set off on a 1000km race to the capital. Videos shared on their channels purportedly showed a column of tanks mounted on armoured cars and advanced Pantsir anti-aircraft missile system making its way north accompanied by as many as 5000 men, or a fifth of Wagner’s claimed total forces. Desperate to halt an advance, Russia's military fired on the column with helicopters, deployed tanks and even tore up key motorways with diggers according to videos posted online. "We will destroy anyone who stands in our way," Mr Prigozhin originally vowed. "We are moving forward and will go until the end," he added. The spectacular eruption of violence in Russia, came after searing tensions within the country’s top command since President Putin invaded Ukraine last February. Prigozhin, once a shadowy figure who denied his role with private military companies, has fast become the most outspoken and powerful figure in Putin’s war. His forces – which first appeared in Russia’s initial invasion of eastern Ukraine in 2014 – were stationed in some of the bloodiest battlefields like Bakhmut. There he would frequently post videos criticising the Ministry of Defence and top Russian generals for poor battle plans or not providing enough ammunition. This claim, his former troops say, was a ruse to allow him to stockpile weapons he ultimately used in Russia on Saturday. Speaking exclusively to The Independent, a former Wagner soldier, who was stationed near Bakhmut in November but managed to escape to Europe with the help of dissidents, said Mr Prigozhin was a “skilful manipulator”. The soldier said he had gained so much power due to the war in Ukraine. “Everyone should understand and realise that the regular army and those who serve in Wagner now are under the rule imposed by Prigozhin.” He said that Mr Prigozhin ruled by fear “in a dictatorial regime” and so people remain loyal to survive. “They are frightened reprisal if they speak out or fail to follow orders,” he said, asking to remain anonymous for his own security. He added that Mr Prigozhin’s “hysterical” statements and actions “were aimed at garnering support and creating the image of a strong leader.” “Even to this day, some people continue to view him favourably,” he added. In Ukraine, commanders, officials and foot soldiers watched with amusement, confusion and trepidation, at the events as they unfolded. The extraordinary disintegration of Russia’s top brass signalled an unprecedented opportunity on the battlefield, but many on the ground feared what forces were supporting Mr Prigozhin and the dangers of a President Putin backed into the corner. “If Prigozhin starts destroying aeroplanes and helicopters and makes it to Moscow, it means a big deal,” one Ukrainian intelligence source told The Independent. “He can’t be doing this on his own, he must be supported by someone, some oligarch, someone who wants to remove Putin and put him in power. We don’t know who that is, and that is worrying,” the source added. President Zelensky said that Saturday’s events showed the world “that the bosses of Russia do not control anything. Nothing at all”. It’s “complete chaos,” he wrote on his Twitter account. “There is complete absence of any predictability,” he added urging the West to give more support ousting Russia from Ukrainian lands. Ukrainian soldiers said Ukraine made modest gains on Saturday as the situation in Russia disintegrated. “Without a doubt, we will take advantage of this, as you will see in the near future,” Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesperson for the Armed forces in the east, told The Independent. Read More Russia-Ukraine war live: Prigozhin ‘won’t face criminal charges’ over Wagner coup against Putin ‘Let’s go home’: Wagner paramilitary troops prepare to turn around from Moscow advance Is this the end for Putin? His country now stands on the edge of civil war Putin has never looked weaker – it is hard to see how he can ever recover The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has turned his troops back from Moscow to “avoid bloodshed” in the Russian city. In an audio message, the mercenary group leader said his soldiers would return to their bases, in a dramatic U-turn just hours before they were expected to reach the city. He said he gave the order to turn back from their advance on Moscow “because of the risk of blood being spilled”. The announcement appeared to defuse a growing crisis as Moscow braced for the arrival of the private army led by the rebellious commander. It comes as President Vladimir Putin had vowed he would face harsh consequences for what he described as a mutinous assault on Russia. Mr Prigozhin said his men were just 120 miles from Moscow but he had decided to turn them back to avoid “shedding Russian blood”. He did not say if the Kremlin has responded to his demand to oust defence minister Sergei Shoigu. The announcement follows a statement from the office of Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko saying that he had negotiated a deal with Mr Prigozhin after previously discussing the issue with Mr Putin. Mr Prigozhin has accepted Mr Lukashenko’s offer to halt the Wagner group’s advance and further steps to de-escalate the tensions, Mr Lukashenko’s office said, adding that the proposed settlement contains security guarantees for Wagner troops. More follows... Read More Russia-Ukraine war live: Wagner boss turns troops back from Moscow as Kremlin denies Putin has fled Moscow tells residents ‘stay at home’ as Wagner rebels edge closer to Russian city Kremlin denies Putin has fled Moscow as Russia president’s plane ‘disappears’ Mapped: Inside Russian Wagner group’s location and road towards Moscow

The mayor of Moscow has told residents not to travel around the city, with troops from the mutinous Wagner group now just hours away. Sergei Sobyanin also said that Monday would be a non-working day for most and that the measures were needed to “minimise risks”. He added that the situation was "difficult”. Yevgeny Prigozhin’s men are reportedly receiving a mixed reaction from Russians as they journey through the country to launch an assault on the capital after the leader of the mercenary group spoke out against the war in Ukraine. Protections have been put in place around Moscow with the Wagner group reportedly around four hours from its boundaries as its soldiers look set to pose the biggest threat to the rule of Vladimir Putin so far. Armed vehicles have also been filmed passing the Kremlin while it has been reported that the presidential plane has flown from Moscow to St Petersburg. Although the Kremlin denied Vladimir Putin had fled, saying he continued to work in the city. Moscow residents have shared their fears of the impending potential conflict. “It's frightening, of course,” Muscovite Nikolai told the Mail Online. “You sit at home thinking about what might happen. It's disturbing both for you and your loved ones.” Another resident, Sergei, added: “I think everything will turn out fine, but if they're preparing to bring in [anti-terror measures] then it means there's a reason for that.” Read More Russia-Ukraine war live: Kremlin denies Putin has fled Moscow as plane mysteriously disappears from radar Biden briefed on unfolding armed rebellion in Russia as US officials consult with allies Kremlin denies Putin has fled Moscow as Russia president’s plane ‘disappears’

US President Joe Biden has been briefed and his administration is closely monitoring fast-moving developments in Russia as Vladimir Putin vowed “decisive actions” to suppress mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and his armed rebellion. “We are monitoring the situation and will be consulting with allies and partners on these developments,” according to a statement on Friday night from National Security Council spokesman Adam Hodge. Prigozhin – once a longtime ally of Putin – is accused of treason for mounting what Russian officials have called an armed rebellion with his Wagner paramilitary group, fuelled by allegations that Russia failed to adequately support his forces in Ukraine. He also has accused Russia’s military leadership of striking against his forces. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday that he has spoken with G7 foreign ministers and European Union officials “to discuss the ongoing situation in Russia”. “The United States will stay in close coordination with Allies and partners as the situation continues to develop,” he added. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin Defense also is monitoring the crisis, according to Pentagon spokesman Patrick Ryder. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also has been briefed on the situation. Canada’s Incident Response Group will meet on Saturday to discuss developments. “We’re in contact with our allies and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” he announced on Saturday. Russian prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation. In a televised address on Friday, Putin called Prigozhin’s maneuvers “a stab in the back of our country and our people”. The Wagner group was designated a transnational criminal organization by the US in January. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the group had an estimated 50,000 personnel inside Ukraine made up of 10,000 contractors and 40,000 people enlisted from Russian prisons. Wagner’s armed convoys have moved into Rostov-on-Don, the largest city in southern Russia and roughly 100km from the eastern Ukraine border. Rostov, with a population of roughly one million people, also houses Russia’s southern military district command and the 58th Combined Arms Army, currently engaged in major counteroffensive efforts against Ukraine. The governor of Russia’s Lipetsk province announced on Saturday that the group has now entered that region. Prigozhin also was among 13 Russians indicted by a federal grand jury for interfering in the US elections in 2016, allegedly using his Russia-based Internet Research Agency to wage “information warfare” with false social media accounts promoting bogus statements and messages that supported Donald Trump. He has denied wrongdoing but remains wanted by the FBI. Read More Russia-Ukraine war live: Kremlin denies Putin has fled Moscow as plane mysteriously disappears from radar Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin? The Wagner Group mercenary chief urging a ‘civil war’ against Putin Rishi Sunak ‘in touch with allies’ about Wagner group rebellion in Russia

The Kremlin has denied Vladimir Putin fled Moscow by plane after claiming Russia is ‘facing treason’ from members of the mutinous Wagner group. One of several planes that Putin uses for official visits took off from Moscow at 2.15pm local time, according to Flight Radar, which tracks aircraft in real-time. Less than half an hour later, it went off radar about 150 kilometres from Mr Putin’s official residents. “Putin is working at the Kremlin,” his spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the Tass news agency when asked about reports of him going to the north-west, possibly St Petersburg. FlightRadar data reported that at 15:06 that the plane disappeared from radars near the Tver region. It is believed one of Putin’s residences is located in the Tver region. Deputy premier Denis Manturov, left Russia for Turkey on Saturday, according to multiple reports. It comes after Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed he and his troops had taken control of key sites in Rostov-on-Don, a major logistical hub, including the airfield. An audio message on the social media app Telegram detailed Prigozhin’s fighters had crossed the border and were “ready to die” in confrontation with those in their way. “All of us are ready to die. All 25,000, and then another 25,000,” he said, after earlier accusing the Russian top brass of launching strikes against his men,” he said. “We are dying for the Russian people.” Prigozhin later took to the Wagner Telegram channel to share a chilling message for the Russian president. “Putin made the wrong choice. All the worse for him,” he wrote. “Soon we will have a new president.” However, Putin was quick to double-down on those working outside his regime and warned on Saturday morning of “inevitable punishment” for anyone dividing Russian society. “This is a criminal campaign. It is equivalent to armed mutiny,” Putin said. “Russia will defend itself and repel this move. We are fighting for the life and security of our citizens and our territorial integrity. “In the face of those who are fighting on the front, this is a stab in the back of the troops and the people of Russia.” Wagner are a private paramilitary group run by Prigozhin who currently claims to have more than 25,000 fighters under his command. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Furious Putin calls Wagner mutiny ‘treason’ and ‘mortal blow’ to troops Rishi Sunak ‘in touch with allies’ about Wagner group rebellion in Russia Is this the end for Putin? His country now stands on the edge of civil war The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Once a low-profile businessman who benefited from having President Vladimir Putin as a powerful patron, Yevgeny Prigozhin moved into the global spotlight with Russia’s war in Ukraine. As the leader of a mercenary force who depicts himself as fighting many of the Russian military’s toughest battles in Ukraine, the 62-year-old Prigozhin has now moved into his most dangerous role yet: preaching open rebellion against his country’s military leadership. Prigozhin, owner of the Kremlin-allied Wagner Group, has escalated what have been months of scathing criticism of Russia’s conduct of the war by calling on Friday for an armed uprising to oust the defense minister. Russian security services reacted immediately, opening a criminal investigation and demanding Prigozhin’s arrest. In a sign of how seriously the Kremlin took Prigozhin’s threat, riot police and the National Guard scrambled to tighten security at key facilities in Moscow, including government agencies and transport infrastructure, Tass reported. Prigozhin, a onetime felon, hot-dog vendor and longtime associate of Putin, urged Russians to join his “march to justice”. ‘PUTIN’S CHEF’ Prigozhin and Putin go way back, with both born in Leningrad, now known as St Petersburg. During the final years of the Soviet Union, Prigozhin served time in prison – 10 years by his own admission –although he does not say what it was for. Afterwards, he owned a hot dog stand and then fancy restaurants that drew interest from Putin. In his first term, the Russian leader took then-French President Jacques Chirac to dine at one of them. “Vladimir Putin saw how I built a business out of a kiosk, he saw that I don’t mind serving to the esteemed guests because they were my guests,” Prigozhin recalled in an interview published in 2011. His businesses expanded significantly to catering and providing school lunches. In 2010, Putin helped open Prigozhin’s factory that was built on generous loans by a state bank. In Moscow alone, his company Concord won millions of pounds in contracts to provide meals at public schools. He also organised catering for Kremlin events for several years – earning him the nickname “Putin’s chef” – and has provided catering and utility services to the Russian military. In 2017, opposition figure and corruption fighter Alexei Navalny accused Prigozhin’s companies of breaking antitrust laws by bidding for around £300m in defence ministry contracts. MILITARY CONNECTION Prigozhin also owns the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-allied mercenary force that has come to play a central role in Putin’s projection of Russian influence in trouble spots around the world. The United States, European Union, United Nations and others say the mercenary force has involved itself in conflicts in countries across Africa in particular. Wagner fighters allegedly provide security for national leaders or warlords in exchange for lucrative payments, often including a share of gold or other natural resources. US officials say Russia may also be using Wagner’s work in Africa to support its war in Ukraine. In Ukraine, Prigozhin’s mercenaries have become a major force in the war, fighting as counterparts to the Russian army in battles aainst Ukrainian forces. That includes Wagner fighters taking Bakhmut, the city where the bloodiest and longest battles have taken place. By last month, Wagner Group and Russian forces appeared to have largely won Bakhmut, a victory with strategically slight importance for Russia despite the cost in lives. The US estimates that nearly half of the 20,000 Russian troops killed in Ukraine since December were Wagner fighters in Bakhmut. His soldiers-for-hire included inmates recruited from Russia’s prisons. RAGING AGAINST RUSSIA’S GENERALS As his forces fought and died en masse in Ukraine, Prigozhin raged against Russia’s military top brass. In a video released by his team last month, Prigozhin stood next to rows bodies he said were those of Wagner fighters. He accused Russia’s regular military of incompetence and of starving his troops of the weapons and ammunition they needed to fight. “These are someone’s fathers and someone’s sons,” Prigozhin said then. “The scum that doesn’t give us ammunition will eat their guts in hell.” A ‘BAD ACTOR’ IN THE US Prigozhin earlier gained more limited attention in the US, when he and a dozen other Russian nationals and three Russian companies were charged with operating a covert social media campaign aimed at fomenting discord ahead of Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory. They were indicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference. The US Treasury Department has sanctioned Prigozhin and associates repeatedly in connection with both his alleged election interference and his leadership of the Wagner Group. After the 2018 indictment, the RIA Novosti news agency quoted Prigozhin as saying, in a clearly sarcastic remark: “Americans are very impressionable people; they see what they want to see. I treat them with great respect. I’m not at all upset that I’m on this list. If they want to see the devil, let them see him.” The Biden White House called him “a known bad actor,” and state department spokesman Ned Price said Prigozhin’s “bold confession, if anything, appears to be just a manifestation of the impunity that crooks and cronies enjoy under President Putin and the Kremlin.” AVOIDING CHALLENGES TO PUTIN As Prigozhin grew more outspoken against the way Russia’s conventional military conducted fighting in Ukraine, he continued to play a seemingly indispensable role for the Russian offensive, and appeared to suffer no retaliation from Putin for his criticism of Putin’s generals. Media reports at times suggested Prigozhin’s influence on Putin was growing and he was after a prominent political post. But analysts warned against overestimating his influence with Putin. “He’s not one of Putin’s close figures or a confidant,” said Mark Galeotti of University College, London, who specialises in Russian security affairs, speaking on his podcast, In Moscow’s Shadows. “Prigozhin does what the Kremlin wants and does very well for himself in the process. But that’s the thing – he is part of the staff rather than part of the family,” Galeotti said. Read More Russia-Ukraine war live: Wagner armed rebellion moves closer to Moscow as Putin threatens revenge Mapped: Inside Russian Wagner group’s location and road towards Moscow Furious Putin calls Wagner coup ‘treason’: ‘This is a stab in the back to everyone in Russia’ The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Donald Trump will address an evangelical political conference in Washington DC on Saturday, the one-year anniversary of the US Supreme Court’s decision to revoke constitutional protections for abortion, a landmark decision hailed by conservative Christian groups. Mr Trump has repeatedly taken credit for the decision to overturn Roe v Wade, after he appointed three conservative justices to the nation’s highest court in office. His appearance at the Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual event follows comments at the conference from his 2024 rival and former vice president Mike Pence, who announced his endorsement of a national ban on abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy. Meanwhile, special counsel Jack Smith has reportedly compelled at least two Republican fake electors to testify to a federal grand jury in Washington in recent weeks by giving them limited immunity, an effort to swiftly nail down evidence in the sprawling criminal investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election, which some believe may now be drawing to a conclusion. Mr Smith also has requested a delay in Mr Trump’s trial in Miami in the classified documents as prosecutors obtain necessary security clearances to review the materials. Read More Trump drops below 50 per cent among GOP voters in new CNN poll following second indictment Fox News’s Bret Baier hits back at Trump conspiracy theorist after ex-president appears to incriminate himself in interview Attorneys spar in case of ex-Trump adviser who devised strategy to keep former president in power Trump claimed the Durham report would uncover the ‘crime of the century.’ Here’s what it really found

The video was shocking — not just for what it showed but also for what was said. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the outspoken millionaire head of the private military contractor Wagner, stood in front of the bloodied bodies of his slain troops in Ukraine and yelled expletive-riddled insults at Russian military leaders, blaming them for the carnage. “They came here as volunteers and they died to let you lounge in your red wood offices,” Prigozhin shouted. “You are sitting in your expensive clubs, your children are enjoying good living and filming videos on YouTube. Those who don’t give us ammunition will be eaten alive in hell!” It was a disquieting display for Russians used to more than two decades of rigidly controlled rule by President Vladimir Putin — years with little sign of infighting among his top lieutenants. Prigozhin's video in May and his other rants against the military leadership have been met with silence from Putin, as well as the brass. Some see Putin's failure to squelch the infighting as a sign of potential shifts in Russia’s political scene that set the stage for more internal battles. Prigozhin's rift with the military has been ignored by state-controlled TV, where most Russians get their news, although it is followed closely by the politically active, ultrapatriotic readers and viewers on social media networks, which share his contempt for military leaders. While there are no indications that Putin is losing influence, “there are growing signs of deep dysfunction, anxiety, worry about the war and real problems in marshaling the resources necessary to fight it effectively,” said Nigel Gould-Davies, a senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the editor of its Strategic Survey. Prigozhin’s feud with military leaders goes back years, and it spilled into the open amid the fighting for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut that was spearheaded by his mercenaries. It has pushed the 62-year-old Wagner owner, dubbed “Putin's chef” for his lucrative Kremlin catering contracts, to the forefront of Russian politics and signaled his growing ambitions. He scathingly criticized Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov, as weak and incompetent in mocking statements full of vulgar language. At one point, he even alleged the army planted mines on the route his fighters planned to use and opened fire at them. With his crude remarks, Prigozhin ventured into territory where only Putin had gone before: Over the years, the Russian leader occasionally broke decorum with an earthy remark or off-color joke, while top officials used carefully worded language. In a later video, Prigozhin made a statement that some have interpreted as a thinly veiled attack on Putin himself. He declared that while his men were dying due to the Defense Ministry’s failure to supply ammunition, a “happy granddad is thinking he’s doing well,” and then referred to that “granddad” with an obscenity. The blunt comment caused a social media uproar, where it was broadly seen as a reference to Putin. Prigozhin later said he was talking about Gerasimov. “Prigozhin is now sailing much closer to the wind than he ever has,” Gould-Davies told The Associated Press. Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin political commentator, described Prigozhin as “the second-most popular man after Putin” and a “symbol of Russia’s military victory for millions of people.” Putin needs Prigozhin's mercenaries at a time when the regular military is still recovering from setbacks earlier in the invasion. The Wagner chief's position was bolstered after the private army captured Bakhmut last month in the war’s longest and bloodiest battle, relying on tens of thousands of convicts who were promised pardons if they survived six months of fighting. “Putin dominates the system, but he still sort of depends upon a small number of big people to implement his will, to provide him with resources to carry out his orders, including fighting the war,” Gould-Davies told AP. While Putin may adhere to keeping various factions divided and then intervening to “decide who wins and who loses, and who’s up and who’s down,” the process erodes the government's authority in wartime, Gould-Davies said. “That may be a way of keeping the political system going, but it’s certainly not the way to fight the war, because if your military forces are divided and if they’re not fighting together effectively, then your military operations will suffer accordingly and that’s exactly what’s happening here,” he said. Mark Galeotti, a London-based expert on Russian politics and security, noted the infighting was continuing even as Ukraine is in the early stages of its long-expected counteroffensive — "a point when really everyone should have one single common goal.” In a recent podcast, he speculated that Putin’s failure to resolve political disputes could be rooted in a lack of interest, a focus on other issues or, more likely, a reluctance to take sides. “It also raises questions about his overall capacity to do his job,” Galeotti said. “This is the one thing, the one job he can’t really outsource, and he’s not even trying.” The lack of response from military leaders to Prigozhin’s insults appeared to indicate they weren’t sure if Putin was on their side. St. Petersburg regional Gov. Alexander Beglov was another recent Prigozhin target, following their long-standing conflict rooted in Beglov’s reluctance to award lucrative contracts to Prigozhin’s companies. Just like the military leaders, Beglov has not responded. Prigozhin has allied with other hawkish officials, reportedly including Tula Gov. Alexei Dyumin, a former Putin bodyguard seen by many as a potential successor. The Wagner head also gravitated for some time toward Ramzan Kadyrov, the Moscow-backed regional leader of Chechnya. While denouncing most senior military leaders, Prigozhin spoke approvingly about Gen. Sergei Surovikin, who led Russian forces in Ukraine for several months before Putin appointed Gerasimov to oversee the operations. But some of those alliances have been shaky. While Kadyrov initially praised Prigozhin and backed some of his criticism of the military leaders, he later shifted course and criticized him for sounding defeatist. Kadyrov’s lieutenants went further, blasting Wagner's efforts in Bakhmut after Prigozhin made dismissive comments about Chechen fighters in Ukraine. Kadyrov’s right-hand man, Magomed Daudov, bluntly said Prigozhin would have been executed for such statements during World War II. Prigozhin quickly backed off, saying he was only expressing concern about Russian operations. Prigozhin has dodged questions about his ambitions, but in a move that reflected his desire to gain political clout, he recently toured Russia, continuing a barrage of blustery comments. “There are signs that he seeks some sort of political future,” Gould-Davies observed. Even though Prigozhin owes his position and wealth to Putin, he's playing the role of outsider with his criticism of some leaders and by trying to appeal to the masses amid setbacks in Ukraine, said Andrei Kolesnikov of the Carnegie Endowment. “He is posturing as an enemy of the elites, even though he is a product of Putin’s system, the embodiment of his regime and state contracts,” Kolesnikov said. “Prigozhin is playing an independent politician, raising the stakes and testing the system’s limits. But it’s only technically and physically possible for as long as Putin finds him useful and is amused by his escapades.” In a show of support for the military, Putin backed the Defense Ministry’s demand for all private companies to sign contracts with it — something Prigozhin has refused to do. And in another sign Putin's administration may finally be cutting Prigozhin down to size, messaging app channels connected to the Kremlin carried photos of his partying children, including a daughter in Dubai, in apparent retaliation for Prigozhin’s attacks on the defense minister’s daughter. Prigozhin has urged all-out war with Ukraine, including a total nationwide mobilization and the introduction of martial law in Russia — calls welcomed by some hawks. But Kolesnikov notes that the vast majority of Russians who are mostly apathetic or unwilling to make larger sacrifices could be frightened and appalled by that message. He cautions against overestimating Prigozhin’s clout and political prospects, and underestimating Putin's authority. "It’s enough for the commander-in-chief to move his finger to make the Wagner chief disappear,” Kolesnikov said. ___ Associated Press writer Danica Kirka in London contributed. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine-war Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Live Updates | Armed rebellion by Russian mercenary chief Furious Putin calls Wagner mutiny ‘treason’ and ‘mortal blow’ to troops –live Mapped: Inside Russian Wagner group’s road towards Moscow