The head of the private Russian military force Wagner said Saturday he has ordered his mercenaries to halt their march on Moscow and retreat to their field camps in Ukraine to avoid shedding Russian blood.
The announcement from Yevgeny Prigozhin appeared to defuse a dramatically escalating crisis that represented the most significant challenge to President Vladimir Putin’s leadership in his more than two decades in power.
Moscow had braced for the arrival of a private army led by the rebellious mercenary commander by erecting checkpoints with armored vehicles and troops on its southern edge. Red Square was shut down, and the mayor urged motorists to stay off some roads.….
AP…..
Update….
Reports are that Putin told Prigozhin that he ‘wouldn’t’ be arrested…..
He probably should be sleeping with one eye open?
Update…..
Breaking: Kremlin spokesman says criminal case will be dropped against Prigozhin, who will go to Belarus
“You will ask me what will happen to Prigozhin personally?” Peskov said. “The criminal case will be dropped against him. He himself will go to Belarus.”
Jim Sciutto
this is a Breaking Story….There will be more