Russia's Wagner has deadliest loss in Africaโs Sahel, highlighting the region's instability
Dozens of Wagner mercenaries were killed by jihadis and rebels over the weekend in northern Mali in what one analyst describes as the largest battleground blow to the shadowy Russian group in years.
Nerve agents, poison and window falls. Kremlin foes have been attacked or killed over the years
Kremlin critics, turncoat spies and investigative journalists have been attacked or killed in a variety of ways.
Putin will seek another term as Russian president, aiming to extend his rule of over two decades
Vladimir Putin has moved to prolong his repressive and unyielding grip on Russia for at least another six years, announcing his candidacy in the presidential election next March that he is all but certain to win.
Hand grenade fragments were found in the bodies of victims in Prigozhin's plane crash, Putin claims
Russian President Vladimir Putin says that hand grenade fragments have been found in the bodies of people who died in an August crash of a plane carrying Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.
30 years ago, the Kremlin crushed a parliamentary uprising, leading to strong presidential rule
Three decades ago, the world held its breath as tanks blasted the Russian parliament building in central Moscow while the Kremlin moved to flush out rebellious lawmakers in a crisis that shaped the countryโs post-Soviet history.
A month after Prigozhinโs suspicious death, the Kremlin is silent on his plane crash and legacy
A month after Yevgeny Prigozhin was killed in a suspicious plane crash, the Kremlin seems to be succeeding in keeping the demise of the profane and outspoken Wagner chief as low-key as possible.
The UK says it will declare Russiaโs Wagner mercenary group a banned terrorist organization
The U.K. says it will declare Russiaโs Wagner mercenary group a banned terrorist organization.
Kremlin says 'deliberate wrongdoing' is a possible cause of the plane crash that killed Wagner chief
The Kremlin's spokesperson says โdeliberate wrongdoingโ is among the possible causes of the plane crash that killed Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin last week.
Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is buried in private, ending his tumultuous journey
A private burial has been held for Yevgeny Prigozhin, ending a tumultuous journey from St. Petersburg street thug to Kremlin-financed mercenary leader.
Russia's Wagner mercenaries face uncertainty after the presumed death of their leader in plane crash
The Wagner Groupโs presence extends from Syria to Africa, projecting the Kremlinโs global influence with mercenaries accused of using brutal force.
Kremlin denies role in plane crash believed to have killed Russian mercenary leader Prigozhin
President Vladimir Putinโs spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, has rejected allegations that the Kremlin was behind a plane crash that is presumed to have killed mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.
What we know โ and don't know โ about the crash of a Russian mercenary's plane
The head of a Russian mercenary group who launched a rebellion against Moscowโs military leadership in June is presumed dead after a mysterious plane crash.
Wagner plane crash seems intended to send a clear message to potential Kremlin foes
When Yevgeny Prigozhin launched his armed rebellion that challenged the Kremlin, Western officials predicted Russian President Vladimir Putin would seek vengeance against the mercenary leader.
The downed Russian jet carried Wagner's hierarchy, from Prigozhin's No. 2 to his bodyguards
The manifest of the plane that went down in Russia is essentially a whoโs who for the Wagner mercenary group: The second-in-command, who baptized Wagner with his nom de guerre, the logistics chief and a fighter wounded by U.S. airstrikes in Syria.
US intelligence says an intentional explosion brought down Wagner chief Prigozhinโs plane
A preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment concluded that an intentional explosion caused the plane crash presumed to have killed a Russian mercenary leader.
Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin challenged the Kremlin in a brief mutiny
Yevgeny Prigozhin made his name as the profane and brutal mercenary boss who mounted an armed rebellion that was the most severe and shocking challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putinโs rule.
Mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin is presumed dead in a plane crash outside Moscow
Russiaโs civil aviation agency says mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin was on a plane that crashed north of Moscow, killing all 10 people aboard.
A top Russian general linked to the head of a rebellious mercenary group is reportedly dismissed
Russian media reports that Gen. Sergei Surovikin, a former commander of Moscow's forces in Ukraine who was linked to the leader of an armed rebellion, has been dismissed from his job as chief of the air force.
Russian missiles kill at least 6 in Zelenskyy's hometown in central Ukraine
Ukrainian officials say Russian ballistic missiles have slammed into an apartment complex and a university building in President Volodymyr Zelenskyyโs hometown.
Lawmakers say the UK should ban Russia's Wagner as a terrorist group
British lawmakers say the U.K. has underestimated the threat posed by the Russian Wagner mercenary group and should ban it as a terrorist organization.
Mali's army and suspected Russia-linked mercenaries committed 'new atrocities,' rights group says
Human Rights Watch says it has found evidence of new summary executions, lootings, forced disappearances and other abuses committed in Mali by the army suspected Russia-linked Wagner group mercenaries.
Russia arrests a hard-line nationalist who accused Putin of weakness in Ukraine
A prominent hard-line Russian nationalist who accused President Vladimir Putin of weakness in Ukraine has been arrested on charges of extremism, a signal the Kremlin has toughened its approach with hawkish critics after last monthโs abortive rebellion by the Wagner mercenary company.
Russia's Wagner mercenaries launch joint training with Belarusian military near Poland's border
Mercenaries from Russiaโs military company Wagner have launched joint drills with the Belarusian military almost a month after their short-lived rebellion.
Video appears to show Russian mercenary chief Prigozhin for first time since short-lived mutiny
A new video appears to show Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin for the first time since he led a short-lived rebellion last month, and he is seen telling his troops they will spend time in Belarus training its military before deploying to Africa.
Flying Russian flags, more Wagner troops roll into Belarus as part of deal that ended their mutiny
More mercenaries from Russiaโs Wagner military contractor have rolled into Belarus, continuing their relocation to the ex-Soviet nation following last monthโs short-lived mutiny.
Putin says he offered Wagner mercenaries the option to stay as a single unit
Russian President Vladimir Putin says he offered mercenaries from the Wagner private military company the chance to keep serving as single unit under the same commander.
Top general's dismissal reveals new crack in Russian military leadership
A Russian general in charge of forces fighting in southern Ukraine has been relieved of his duties after speaking out about the problems faced by his troops.
Russia's Defense Ministry says Wagner mercenaries are surrendering their weapons to the military
Russiaโs Defense Ministry says mercenaries of the Wagner Group are completing the handover of their weapons to the military.
Russian mercenary leader Prigozhin's commanders met Putin after short-lived mutiny, pledged loyalty
The Kremlin says mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's commanders met with Russian President Vladimir Putin five days after staging a short-lived rebellion.
Belarus shows off a military camp to host Russia's Wagner mercenaries after a failed mutiny
The Belarusian military has shown off a field camp it has offered to Russiaโs Wagner military contractor if it relocates to Belarus under a deal that ended its mutiny.
Armed rebellion by Wagner chief Prigozhin underscores erosion of Russian legal system
Russiaโs rebellious mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin walked free from prosecution for his June 24 armed mutiny, and itโs still unclear if anyone will face any charges in the brief uprising against the military or for the deaths of the soldiers killed in it.
Belarus says Wagner chief who staged mutiny is in Russia, raising questions about Kremlin's strategy
The president of Belarus says the mercenary leader who led a short-lived mutiny against the Kremlin is in Russia and his troops are in their field camps.
Russia says it foiled Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow as Kyiv's counteroffensive grinds on
The Russian military says it has fended off a Ukrainian drone attack on Moscow that prompted authorities to briefly close one of the city's airports.
Putin will speak with leaders of China and India in his first summit since the Wagner insurrection
President Vladimir Putin will participate this week in his first multilateral summit since an armed rebellion rattled Russia.
Russian media watchdog blacklists outlets linked to Wagner mercenary chief
The Russian media watchdog has blacklisted at least five media outlets affiliated with Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and blocked their websites in Russia.
The key players in last weekend's armed rebellion in Russia
Key players in events stemming from last weekend's armed rebellion in Russia include mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, the chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Gen. Sergei Surovikin.
A week after an armed rebellion rattled Russia, key details about it are still shrouded in mystery
A week after the mutiny raised the most daunting challenge to President Vladimir Putinโs rule in over two decades, key details about the uprising remain shrouded in mystery.
Russian general is believed to be detained in aftermath of Wagner mutiny, AP sources say
Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the deputy commander of the Russian group of forces fighting in Ukraine, has been detained days after mercenaries staged a revolt inside Russia.
Belarus leader welcomes Wagner forces but others in the country see them as a threat
As life in Russia returns to normal after an armed rebellion by a mercenary group, tensions are rising in and around its neighbor Belarus, where the exiled leader of the force and some of its fighters are settling in.
Recapping the revolt in Russia, through the words of 4 presidents and a mutinous warlord
The dramatic rebellion by a mercenary warlord in Russia that challenged President Vladimir Putin was punctuated by dramatic language of the key protagonists โ and some long silences.
Russian missile kills 11 in a pizza parlor and Ukraine arrests man accused of directing the strike
Ukraineโs counterintelligence service has arrested a man it accuses of helping Russia direct a missile strike at a popular pizza restaurant.
Failed Wagner revolt leaves a question in Africa: Will the ruthless mercenaries remain?
The Russian mercenary group that briefly rebelled against President Vladimir Putinโs authority has for years been a ruthless force-for-hire across Africa, protecting rulers at the expense of the masses.
Wagner chief walks free after armed revolt. Other Russians defying the Kremlin arenโt so lucky
Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin led an armed rebellion against the Russian military โ and got away with it.
Prigozhin has moved to Belarus, and Russia wonโt press charges for mutiny
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has confirmed that Yevgeny Prigozhin has arrived in Belarus after his short-lived armed mutiny in Russia.
A Wagner ex-convict returned from war and a Russian village lived in fear. Then he killed again
Some convicts recruited by Russia's private military contractor Wagner to fight in the war in Ukraine are coming home and committing new crimes.
The reason US response to the Russia rebellion has been decidedly cautious
On the surface, the turmoil in Russia would seem like something for the U.S. to celebrate: a powerful mercenary group engaging in a short-lived clash with Russiaโs military at the very moment that Ukraine is trying to gain momentum in a critical counteroffensive.
US sending $500 million in weapons, military aid to Ukraine
The Biden administration is sending up to $500 million in military aid to Ukraine, including more than 50 heavily armored vehicles and an infusion of missiles for air defense systems.
Biden calls mutiny a 'struggle within the Russian system' and says US and NATO played no part
President Joe Biden says the United States and NATO had no involvement in the short-lived insurrection in Russia by the Wagner mercenary force.
Chaos in Russia is morale booster for Ukraine as it pushes on with early stages of counteroffensive
The armed rebellion against the Russian military may have ended quickly, but the disarray within the enemyโs ranks was an unexpected gift and timely morale booster for Ukrainian troops.
Russian mercenaries' revolt undermines Putin and could lead to further challenges to his rule
For the first time in his more than 20-year rule, President Vladimir Putinโs power appeared to hang in the balance this weekend.
Belarus deal to take in leader of Russian rebellion puts him in an even more repressive nation
Russian mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin was notorious for unbridled and profane challenges to authority even before the attempted rebellion that he mounted Saturday.
With Russia revolt over, mercenaries' future and direction of Ukraine war remain uncertain
The rebellious mercenary soldiers who briefly took over a Russian military headquarters on an ominous march toward Moscow are gone.
Live Updates | Armed rebellion by Russian mercenary chief
The rebellious Russian mercenary commander who ordered his troops to march on Moscow says he was responding to an attack on his camps in Ukraine on Friday by rival forces from the Russian military.
Russian mercenary group revolt against Moscow fizzles but exposes vulnerabilities
The greatest challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin in his more than two decades in power has fizzled out after the rebellious mercenary commander who ordered his troops to march on Moscow agreed to go into exile and sounded the retreat.
The mercenary chief who urged an uprising against Russia's generals has long ties to Putin
Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has taken the spotlight in Russia by posing a direct challenge to Russiaโs generals over the war in Ukraine.
Who is the head of the mercenary group calling for an armed rebellion in Russia?
The head of the private military contractor Wagner is calling for an armed rebellion to oust Russiaโs defense minister.
Russian mercenary chief says his forces are rebelling, some left Ukraine and entered city in Russia
The Russian owner of the private military contractor Wagner has made his most direct challenge to the Kremlin yet, calling for an armed rebellion aimed at ousting Russiaโs defense minister.
Amid infighting among Putin's lieutenants, head of mercenary force appears to take a step too far
For months, the head of the Wagner private military contractor bombarded Russiaโs top military leaders with expletive-ridden insults in a rift that has weakened the countryโs forces amid the war in Ukraine.
Both sides suffer heavy casualties as Ukraine strikes back against Russia, UK assessment says
British officials say Russia and Ukraine are suffering high numbers of military casualties as Ukraine fights to dislodge the Kremlinโs forces from occupied areas in the early stages of its counteroffensive.
Head of Russian private army Wagner says his forces are handing control of Bakhmut to Moscow
The head of the Russian private military contractor Wagner claims his forces have started pulling out of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine and handing over control to the Russian military.
Head of Russian private army Wagner says more than 20,000 of his troops died in Bakhmut battle
The head of the Russian private army Wagner says his force lost more than 20,000 men in the drawn-out battle for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
Peace, food and fertilizer: African leaders' challenge heading to talks with Moscow, Kyiv
A delegation of six African leaders set to hold talks with Kyiv and Moscow aim to โinitiate a peace processโ but also broach the thorny issue of how a heavily-sanctioned Russia can be paid for the fertilizer exports Africa desperately needs, a key mediator in the talks said.
Zelenskyy says 'Bakhmut is only in our hearts' after Russia claims control of Ukrainian city
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that he believes that Russia has taken control of the eastern city of Bakhmut.
Ukraine says it has retaken territory near embattled eastern city of Bakhmut
Ukrainian military commanders say their troops recaptured more territory from Russian forces at the scene of the warโs longest and bloodiest battle, for the eastern city of Bakhmut.
Who is the head of the Russian mercenary group bashing the military's role in Ukraine?
The head of the Russian private military contractor Wagner returned to a familiar theme this week โ bashing the countryโs military leadership for failures in the war in Ukraine.
Russia's Wagner boss threatens Bakhmut pullout in Ukraine
The owner of Russiaโs Wagner military contractor is threatening to withdraw his troops next week from the protracted battle for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.
Wagner owner blasts 'treason' of Russian military chiefs
The owner of the Russian private military company, Wagner, has accused Russiaโs defense minister and chief of general staff of starving his fighters in Ukraine of ammunition.
US seeks to expel Russian mercenaries from Sudan, Libya
North African and Sudanese officials say the United States is ratcheting up pressure on Middle East allies and power brokers in chaos-stricken Libya and Sudan to expel a Russian private military contractor.
Experts seek investigation of Wagner Group, Mali forces
Independent human rights experts working with the U.N. are calling for an investigation of possible abuses, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by government forces in Mali and Russian military contractor the Wagner Group.
Brutality of Russia's Wagner gives it lead in Ukraine war
Fierce battles in eastern Ukraine have thrown a new spotlight on a private Russian military group led by a rogue millionaire with longtime links to Russiaโs President Vladimir Putin.
Treasury to designate Wagner transnational criminal group
The U.S. Treasury Department will impose additional sanctions on the Russian private military company, the Wagner Group, that has been aiding Russiaโs military in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Rifts in Russian military command seen amid Ukraine fighting
As Russian troops wage a ferocious fight for control of strongholds in eastern Ukraine, a parallel battle is unfolding in the top echelons of military power in Moscow.
White House: Russia's Wagner received arms from North Korea
The White House says a private Russian military company has taken delivery of an arms shipment from North Korea to help bolster its forces as it fights side-by-side with Russian troops in Ukraine.
Russian mercenaries are Putin's 'coercive tool' in Africa
Russia has engaged in under-the-radar military operations in at least half a dozen countries in Africa in the last five years using a shadowy mercenary force analysts say is loyal to President Vladimir Putin.
![Moscow demands that Belarus free 33 detained Russians](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/LdoXL-azfaZCjhrH5f-0r7zTQBE=/1600x1067/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/XY3M7VH7FVFDBAX4G3EZ6VMIVM.jpg)
Moscow demands that Belarus free 33 detained Russians
In this photo taken from video released by Belarusian KGB, State TV and Radio Company of Belarus on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, Belarusian KGB officers detain Russian men in a sanitarium outside in Minsk, Belarus. (Belarusian KGB, State TV and Radio Company of Belarus via AP)MOSCOW The Kremlin demanded Friday that Belarus quickly release 33 Russian private security contractors it detained on terrorism charges, dismissing accusations of plots during the Belarus presidential campaign as bogus. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia expects Belarus to quickly free the detainees. He frequently accused the Kremlin of harboring plans to incorporate Belarus with Russia and vowed to resist them. Belarus election officials have blocked his two main challengers from being registered to run against him.
![US sanctions companies linked to businessman close to Putin](https://www.wsls.com/resizer/Osn81clS-bJGA-HdM2vmdl4hajg=/1600x1066/smart/filters:format(jpeg):strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gmg/GL4QZNCNZBCLHAGT572A77NPP4.jpg)
US sanctions companies linked to businessman close to Putin
WASHINGTON The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on companies connected to a Russian businessman who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and suspected of helping finance the covert social media campaign aimed at American voters ahead of the 2016 presidential election. The actions announced Wednesday take aim at front companies that officials say Yevgeny Prigozhin has relied on to process millions of dollars and to evade sanctions in Sudan, where the Trump administration says Russia has been involved in paramilitary operations and supporting authoritarian regimes. Todays actions will further limit attempts by Prigozhin and his backers to foment disorder or undermine democratic reforms in Sudan, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement announcing the sanctions by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. Prigozhin, whose close relationship to Putin has earned him the nickname of Putin's Chef," attracted attention in 2018 after he and Russian companies he controlled were indicted in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign. He was accused of financing an effort to use social media posts to spread disinformation and to divide American public opinion on hot-button social issues ahead of the election.
!['Putin's chef' sharpens Russian propaganda skills in Africa](https://sharedmedia.grahamdigital.com/photo/2019/07/04/Vladimir%20Putin%20August%202018.jpg_22064637_ver1.0_1280_720.jpg)
'Putin's chef' sharpens Russian propaganda skills in Africa
This time, they are doing it openly, using Africa as a proving ground and with the help of Alexander Malkevich, a Russian propagandist exiled from the US. On Wednesday, Facebook announced it had removed three networks of accounts, totaling dozens of pages, targeting a number of African countries. Facebook's takedown came just days after President Vladimir Putin's lavish reception at a summit for 54 African countries in the Russian resort town of Sochi. It deployed political strategists to at least three African countries, two of which are listed in the Facebook takedown announcement. Russian investigative outlet Proekt previously reported that Prigozhin became interested in soft-power projects in Africa in early 2018.