0 Heasy 85/70 Democracy Dies in Darkness SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2023 $5 In Merc enary WAGNER GROUP HALTS ADVANCE TO MOSCOW rising Is Belarus president negotiates deal with Putin ally reckoning for 55 rule К

0
Heasy 85/70 Democracy Dies in Darkness SUNDAY, JUNE 25, 2023 $5
In
Merc enary WAGNER GROUP HALTS ADVANCE TO MOSCOW
rising Is
Belarus president negotiates deal with Putin ally
reckoning for 55
rule Ковух Dixon,
ulin
8 Mary
CATHERINE BELTON AND CLAIRE PARKER:
AND Ronys Dixon
А stunning chillerige to the
Vindimir Putin faced the gray- rule of Viadi-
est challenge to his presidency mir Putin and his handling of
after the he has the war in Ukraine came Patin Prigozhin
over for the past 23 years abruptend Saturday night when
led this weekend under the pres- acolumn of renegade Moscow and withdrew
sure of the war he launched in fes reversed thelr fighters Key military
Ukraine and, for а moment, a vance on Moscow 120 installationsin the south. As part
devolved into armed conflict miles from the gates of tie the deal, Prigozhin, who has
side Russia. capital, spent months on the front fines
‘The march on Moscow an у 2% hours Putin's in Ukraine, would travel to Bela-
irate onetime ally, Yevgeniy erstwhile ally, Prigo- Peskov said.
Prigozhin, accompanied а zhin, swore that his Wigner guarantees were “the
convoy of members of his Group fighters would force a word of the president of Russia?
private Wagner мор military said,
group, was a reckoning for a establishment, which he blames But while Putin appeared to
presidency that until now has for the Ukraine inva: his crisis in more
thrived on Putin's ability to sion, he his troops
vide and rule pitting rival around under a surprise deal political teader, the dricf but
groups agalisst each other and brokered neighboring Bels- anned rebellion presented the
serving the ultimate arbiter starkest evidence yet that this
among feuding elites. The agreement inchided а brutal invasion of Ukraine had
Although eventually aborted, pledge from the Kremlin not to backfired, leading to instability
Prigozhin’s revolt exposed the Prigozhin for his at home and expasing his
deep weaknesses inside Potin’s A brief march toward Moscow armed rebellion, according to ing isolation from reality and
rule, raising the specter clvil presidential spokesman Dinitry as a leader.
war and, for hours on who spoke to reporters address to the
Saturday, appearing to pose late Saturday, In exchange, the nation Putin called the
threat to position itself. Wagner chief БаНед his SEE RUSSIA ON AIS
After more than two decades of Moscow
autocratic rule, Putins
has repeatedly his judg- о
ent both 93 4 stice.”
We set out on June 23 а ‘March of Justice.
Pri Into the city wah
a day we marched just short of 200 away
Jrom Moscow, During this time, we have not shed
tary to spiral this ‘elets
ВЕСА 5 а drop of the blood of our fighters.
“Recently, Patin bas been Yetets. then
mistake after mistake, bere
confieming hiss Боск the
him a critical mistake,” said
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Russia's forces
onetime richest man who be- С
Я i у was. A
carefully: looks
10 years. “When you are in yohs А:
20 yearsandeveryonetells the ahead. weighs and risk
you what you are, who
Knows what happens to. your UKRAINE у KAREN DEYouNG, of Russian of the
consciousness?” Mixsy Ryan Wagner Group marching toward
The current crisis, however it AND for a shootout with the
will oltimately further Russian military,
weaken Putin regime, While they struggled 10 таке Ала then, as quickly as It
kovsky sense of chaotic and with Wagner head Yevgeniy
For members of the events insite Rus: declaring open con-
Russian elite had Бесо watehing sia, the Biden administration Mict with Rassia’s military
open-mouthed Prigozhin and its Westem allies were Keen- seemed to be over. As
launched volley after volley of 3 there was little became Sunday in Rus-
abuse at the Russian military Rostov-on-Don could about it beyont watch+ both Prigozhin and the Krem-
accusing it of incom- Group took ever ing from afar. lin declared that a deal had been
petence, corruption and я the headquarters President Biden consulted Wagner troops were
ing away the lives of tens of 5 Of the Oty toe fee hours with top national security aides back and there would be по
thousands of Russian soldiers in and his British, and "Russians against
war against Ukraine. counterparts, Secretary tle,
Putin had seemed to accept State Antony Blinken convened Yet, just as little was Clear dur-
ON Mark Sea Group of Seven diplomats. Top к a day of confusion and
Pentagon officials made their
Information calls, canceled trips Alexander Vershbow, a for
authorities blacked access: areas of Aine 23 from Une for the of free Pont and sought Ukraine, ambassador to Mascow
tO News AMD POST transfixed the bizarre specta- SEE UNITED STATES ON Ats