Russian Mercenary Chief Faces Accusations of Mutiny and Incitement to Rebellion

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner private military contractor, has called for an armed rebellion aimed at ousting Russia’s defense minister, in his most direct challenge to the Kremlin yet. The security services reacted immediately by calling for his arrest. Prigozhin claimed that his forces had crossed into Russia from Ukraine and had reached Rostov, saying they faced no resistance from young conscripts at checkpoints. The dispute, especially if Prigozhin were to succeed, could have repercussions for President Vladimir Putin and his ability to maintain a united front.