Politics

Vladimir Putin resurfaced to address Russians in a televised speech, after a mutiny by troops from the mercenary Wagner Group. Trying to reassert his authority following perhaps the most serious challenge to his two decades in power, the president said the organisers of the revolt had “betrayed their country” but repeated a promise that those who took part could either join the Russian army or move to Belarus. Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner’s leader, claimed that his rebellion, which had started to march on Moscow, was a protest at the military’s mishandling of the Ukraine war. The speed at which Wagner’s troops advanced in Russia has led to speculation about collusion with Russian generals and the potential for civil war.