yevgeny prigozhin was certainly one. can you talk to us about the dynamics of the top of russia s leadership, and how the events at the last 24 hours might change that. this is a really good question, because i think one of the things we did learn in the pasty isjust because i think one of the things we did learn in the pasty is just how small the decision making circle is in moscow. not only is it weak, but is really a small core stop if you followed along with the main kremlin propagandist, state affiliated that is, and on raschl channel one, there was a lot of silence and not knowing what to do stop russia channel one. they didn t seem to be our comic fan of how to respond to this wagner advance. comic fan of how to respond to this wagneradvance. i comic fan of how to respond to this wagner advance. i think not only does the show us how brittle the
tension rose as reports came in of wagner convoys moving north to moscow. was this heading towards confrontation in the capital? then, out of the blue, a message from mr prigozhin. to avoid bloodshed, he said, wagner would turn around and return to base. a de escalation deal, which the leader of belarus claims to have negotiated. conflict called off. this is one of those moments where you just have to put up your hands and say, what on earth was that about? i mean, just a few hours ago yevgeny prigozhin seemed determined to march his men to the top of the hill, and then he marched them down again. we may never know what agreements were
russia and ukraine. but this looked like mutiny. their leader, yevgeny prigozhin, seemed to have gone rogue after his feud with the russian defence ministry boiled over over how the war in ukraine is being fought. at a military hq he told russian generals, we ve come for the defence minister and the chief of the general staff. if we don t get them, i ll blockade the city and head to moscow . this was treachery, said the kremlin. a stab in the back of russia. translation: our actions to defend the fatherland from this threat will be harsh. everyone who consciously chose the path of treason and planned the armed uprising has embraced blackmail and terrorist methods. they will be inevitably punished before the law and our people.
to his authority since coming to power over 20 years ago. but then, earlier this evening, there was a sudden change and the crisis seemed to be over. it s all down to this man, yevgeny prigozhin, who leads a group of mercenary soldiers who ve been fighting in ukraine, known as the wagner group. he s been very critical of the putin approach to the war. he called on russian troops to rebel against their leaders, and he said his men were marching on moscow. but, at 6:30pm this evening, prigozhin issued a statement, saying he d agreed to stop the movement of his troops and to de escalate the situation and avoid bloodshed . the kremlin then announced that the wagner force would not be prosecuted and that prigozhin would be moving to live in belarus. president putin had accused the wagner group of betrayal and treason . tonight, he said that avoiding more bloodshed was more important
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