Background

Russian President Vladimir Putin broke his silence regarding the Wagner Mercenary Group rebellion in Russia, but he only announced that his top priority remains the ongoing war in Ukraine. The leader gave the stern impression of business as usual during the pre-recorded interview, despite the extraordinary attempted coup of Saturday.

Where is Putin?

After reports of both his presidential planes fleeing Moscow yesterday, with the Kremlin claiming he is staying put in the capital, Putin's location is unknown. Meanwhile, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was pictured grinning and taking selfies with fans as he was apparently forced into "exile" in Belarus.

Prigozhin's Rebellion

Wagner pulled out of Rostov on Sunday - with residents treating the cutthroat troops like heroes while chanting "Wagner! Wagner!" as Prigozhin allegedly heads for his exile in Belarus. Prigozhin had staged the largest threat to Putin's rule in decades when he launched an open rebellion and sent his 25,000 men marching on Moscow, with a convoy of trucks and military gear getting within 120 miles of the Kremlin.

The Deal

The rebellion ended in an astonishing turn of events, and Prigozhin claimed he was retreating to Belarus. Russia claimed they had dropped all criminal charges against him, and he and his men were free to leave. According to observers, however, this crisis is far from over, and questions remain unanswered about Putin's grip on power.

Expert's Opinion

According to Colonel Hamish de Bretton Gordon, there may be a "nuclear Armageddon" risk if Russia starts to fall into chaos following the crisis. Former US ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, describes the rebellion as the "biggest crisis" that Putin has ever faced and believes Russia is now facing a "civil war."