quote:

Is this a coup? What is Prigozhin doing in Russia?

This is a defining moment in Russia's 16-month full-scale war in Ukraine and potentially a challenge to Vladimir Putin's grip on power.

quote:

US intel saw signs Prigozhin was planning challenge to Russian military, sources say
From CNN's Alex Marquardt, Jim Sciutto, and Natasha Bertrand

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.

One of the sources said that while US intelligence believed it was only a matter of time before Prigozhin made a dramatic move against Russian military leadership, there was “uncertainty” about when it could happen. The other source 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.

quote:

Prigozhin says his forces "are turning our columns around," amid claims of deal brokered by Lukashenko

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."

quote:

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."

quote:

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.

quote:

In Moscow, too, feelings about Prigozhin were mixed at best on Saturday. “There was a moment of total loss of control. Moscow was already awaiting him, the city froze in expectation that some groups of people would enter,” Kolesnikov said. “And people were not afraid. Putin was afraid of him, but not the country’s population.”

quote:

Fox News guest Rebekah Koffler ... claimed during a long-winded nine-minute rant