US officials knew Wagner chief’s mutinous plans against Russia: Report

US intelligence officials were reportedly aware that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the chief of the paramilitary Wagner group, was planning to take military action against Russia.

The New York Times reported on Sunday that US intelligence officials had briefed senior military and administration officials earlier this week that there were signs Prigozhin was preparing to take action given the group’s movements and equipment buildups near Russia.

However, US officials decided to keep silent about Prigozhin’s plans. The pretext was that if they said anything, Russian President Vladimir Putin could have accused them of orchestrating a coup, the report said.

The report further noted that it was unclear when the US became aware of impending events in Russia, but as additional confirmation of the plot came in on Thursday, intelligence officials informed a narrow group of congressional leaders.

Russia warns West against taking advantage of armed mutiny

Russia has warned the West against trying to exploit an armed mutiny by the Wagner group.

In an audio message posted on Telegram on Friday, Prigozhin accused the Russian top brass of launching strikes against his men and said that "the evil which the Russian military leadership carries must be stopped.” 

He also claimed that he had taken control of the southern city Rostov-on-Don as part of an attempt to oust the military leadership.

Russian authorities rejected Prigozhin's allegations of airstrikes on his forces and demanded he halt "illegal actions.”

Russian authorities accused the Wagner chief of calling for an armed mutiny and initially said they were charging Prigozhin with “organizing an armed rebellion” against Putin.

In an emergency televised address to the nation on Saturday, Putin said the "armed mutiny" was treason, pledging that anyone who had taken up arms against the Russian military would be punished.

"This is a stab in the back to our country, to our nation," Putin said. "What we have been faced with is exactly betrayal. Extravagant ambitions and personal interests led to treason."

The Kremlin also warned the Western countries against trying to exploit the armed mutiny by the Wagner group against Moscow for their "Russophobic goals."

Later on Saturday, Prigozhin ordered his fighters to turn around from their march toward Moscow and vacate the city of Rostov-on-Don.

President Putin: Wagner mutiny 'stab in the back' of Russia

Russia has declared an "anti-terrorist operation regime" in Moscow and the Moscow region after mutiny by the chief of the Wagner mercenary group which President Vladimir Putin called a "stab in the back".

Prigozhin’s decision came after negotiations with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko aimed at de-escalating the situation.

The terms appeared to include an amnesty for Wagner forces who had taken part in the armed mutiny against Russia.

Russia also said a criminal case previously filed against Prigozhin had been dropped after he ordered his forces to stop fighting and retreat to their bases.

The Wagner Group is a paramilitary organization that has been fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

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