but even if the threat is over and it s not at all clear that saturday s turn around was, in fact, the end, what did the flash of descent do to russia itself, not the government or security services but the people. what message did russians get over the weekend? what did they see when yevgeny prigozhin s tanks move toward the capital? what did they feel when his troops reportedly shot down several russian helicopters? that s according to ukraine s air force. what did they hear when vladimir putin called prigozhin a traitor and compared his threat to 1917. we re going to ask masha gessen of the new york. the russia public saw something extraordinary, a choice, it will something that changes russia even if it doesn t alter putin s control in the short term. let s get our reporting and the news from russian tv that vladimir putin will speak tonight. joining me now from moscow is nbc news chief international correspondent keir simmons. so keir, this news that he s going to speak,
this has been one of the most confusing and dramatic moments and recent russian history. we are very much still finding out how this armed rebellion came together. what the u.s. knew about it, what the fallout will be for russia and ukraine. frankly, the rest of the globe. on friday, the standoff began when the leader of a russian private military group posted a series of recorded video and audio messages on telegram. messages that under mind jet ross is justification for the war in ukraine and called for our march for justice. against the russian military. the man who posted these messages, the name you have certainly heard a lot through the past few days, yevgeny prigozhin. he is the leader of the russian private mercenary army known as the wagner group. a group that has been on the frontlines of russia s war in ukraine. now the wagner mercenaries are known to be some of the most brutal forces fighting in ukraine. they have recruited fighters in russian prisons, they have s
tonight, we begin with breaking news out of russia. a major twist in that country s war against ukraine. vladimir putin forced to confront a rebellion within his own borders. just hours ago, we learned that if guinea prigozhin, the owner and the head of the wagner group and mercenary force that has been fighting alongside the russian military and ukraine, halted his advance on to the country s capital. that announcement came shortly after prigozhin claimed he and his fighters had captured the city of rostov-on-don home to the russian military headquarters for its war in ukraine. since their invasion last year, moscow has become dependent on the back in a group to support the war efforts as they re dwindling russian forces struggle to make significant gains inside ukrainian territory. in december, the u.s. said it believed the group had an estimated 50,000 personnel inside ukraine alone. it made up of about 10,000 contractors and 40,000 convicts that were recruited from inside
menendez. we begin tonight with what comes next after this weekend. short-lived yet startling rebellion against russian president vladimir putin. saturday s march on led by the one-time protegee did a head blow to the strongman image. he still wages war on ukraine. today, we learned president biden spoke by phone with ukraine s president on the sudden instability in russia. the white house says president biden offered his, quote, unwavering support for ukraine s counteroffensive against ukraine. the revolt is the first serious threat to putin s power in decades. secretary of state anthony blinken today said could it could change the port of the democracy in ukraine. i think we ve seen more cracks emerge in the russian facade. it is too soon to tell exactly where they go. and when they get their. certainly we have all sorts of new questions that putin is going to have to address in the weeks and months ahead. and we also confirmed that u.s. intelligence agencies knew in ad
sunday morning at 10 am eastern for my show velshi. all in with chris hayes starts now. tonight on all in. ts donald trump had a direct and personal role in this effort, as did rudy giuliani, as did john eastman. the other federal investigation into trump s attempted coup. everything that was done was done illegally by the trump legal team, according to the rules, and on the leadership of rudy on. tonight there s route new trouble for today immunity to fake electors. then, what is happening in russia tonight. as the leader of thousands of russian mercenaries affective lay declares war against russia s military. plus, thank god almighty, for the dobbs decision. the republicans, on the wrong side of voters. as two thirds of the country rejects the dobbs decision on abortion. you ain t seen nothing yet. all in starts right now. good evening from new york, i m chris hayes. a lot going on on this friday night. tonight we have some big developments in both t