List of All Articles with Tag 'europe'

The unprecedented cycle of global interest-rate increases is entering its most challenging stretch as inflation threatens to become

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin will be exiled from Russia to Belarus as part of a truce agreed with Vladimir Putin after an explosive armed rebellion raced to Moscow on Saturday. The mutiny was called off at the 11th hour as Prigozhin said he wanted to “avoid bloodshed”. Wagner’s forces were about four hours away from Moscow when news of the dramatic turnaround came. His decision to stop Wagner soldiers storming through Moscow saved him and his men from facing criminal charges over the attempted coup, the Kremlin said. The move marked a humiliating climbdown for Putin after he earlier vowed to take revenge on those behind the mutiny. Prigozhin, who sent out a series of audio and video updates during his revolt, has gone silent since the Kremlin announced the deal had been brokered for him to end his march and leave Russia. Before the mutiny was called off, there was speculation about Putin’s whereabouts after one of his planes was seen leaving Moscow. Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky said: “The man from the Kremlin is obviously very scared and is probably hiding somewhere.” Read More Mutiny, mayhem and panic on the streets of Moscow: Russia saved from brink of civil war at 11th hour Russian mercenary leader's exile ends revolt but leaves questions about Putin's power ‘Let’s go home’: Wagner paramilitary troops prepare to turn around from Moscow advance

Recession alarms are ringing around Europe’s bond markets, replacing the previous panic over inflation as investors come to

The European Central Bank is “entering the final stretch” of its tightening cycle, according to Vice President Luis

Wagner Group mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin halted his dramatic advance toward Moscow and pulled his fighters back, defusing

The situation in Russia appears to be de-escalating, which bodes well for Poland’s security, President Andrzej Duda said.

Russia appears to have stepped back from the brink of a full-scale armed mutiny, after the Wagner Group, one of the world’s most powerful private armies, halted a march on Moscow started by a vow for revenge. While the immediate threat seems to have been averted, the unprecedented attack on the Russian military establishment marks the most serious challenge to President Vladimir Putin in the 23 years he has ruled with an iron fist – and the crisis is unlikely to just disappear just because the military convoy halted 125 miles from the Russian capital. Earlier in an extraordinary day, a visibly angry Mr Putin made an emergency address to the nation railing against the attempted coup and said the very existence of the Russian state was at stake. "We are fighting for the lives and security of our people, for our sovereignty and independence,” he said, comparing the Wagner “mutiny” to the 1917 revolution that led to the collapse of imperial Russia. The source of his ire was Yevgeny Prigozhin, the outspoken leader of the Wagner mercenary group, who had vowed to avenge attacks he claimed were perpetrated by the Russian military against his men in eastern Ukraine. Mr Prigozhin vehemently denied accusations of treason and spent the day vowing to fight “until the end.” However, late on Saturday his band of mercenaries halted their march and would turn back “to avoid shedding Russian blood” – in a deal broken by Belarusian president and Russia’s closest ally Alexander Lukashenko. “In a day, we marched to nearly 200km outside of Moscow. In this time, we did not spill a single drop of blood of our fighters,” Mr Prigozhin said in audio messages shared to his Telegram channels. “Now, the moment has come when blood may spill. That’s why, understanding the responsibility of spilling Russian blood on one of the sides, we are turning back our convoys and going back to field camps according to the plan.” It was unclear on Saturday night exactly what the agreement to halt the Wagner convoy entailed, but the Kremlin confirmed that neither Mr Prigozhin nor his troops would face criminal charges over the insurrection. The Kremlin did not confirm Mr Prigozhin’s whereabouts but said he would be moved to Belarus, a close ally of Russia. In a day of dramatic developments: Moscow’s mayor urged all residents to stay in their homes Authorities declared a “counter-terrorist regime” in the capital – enhancing security and restricting some movement. Crews dug up sections of highways to slow the movement of the Wagner convoy There was confusion over Mr Putin’s whereabouts, with the Kremlin denying he had left the city in a plane There were also unconfirmed reports that a number of Russian officials had left the capital, with suggestions that Denis Manturov, a deputy prime minister may have flown to Turkey. The crisis ignited Friday night when Mr Prigozhin, a former hotdog seller turned powerful warlord, issued a string of expletive-riddled audio and video messages. He accused the top Russian military brass of bombing his camp in the eastern region of Donbas, “lying” about the motivations for invading Ukraine, and rampant corruption. As tensions mounted, Mr Putin responded by saying his former confidante was guilty of “armed insurrection” and “treason” and promised to punish those behind the “stab in the back”. Wagner forces – deployed along some of the toughest battle lines in Ukraine – crossed back into Russia, captured the logistical hub of Rostov in the south, and then set off on a 1000km race to the capital. Videos shared on their channels purportedly showed a column of tanks mounted on armoured cars and advanced Pantsir anti-aircraft missile system making its way north accompanied by as many as 5000 men, or a fifth of Wagner’s claimed total forces. Desperate to halt an advance, Russia's military fired on the column with helicopters, deployed tanks and even tore up key motorways with diggers according to videos posted online. "We will destroy anyone who stands in our way," Mr Prigozhin originally vowed. "We are moving forward and will go until the end," he added. The spectacular eruption of violence in Russia, came after searing tensions within the country’s top command since President Putin invaded Ukraine last February. Prigozhin, once a shadowy figure who denied his role with private military companies, has fast become the most outspoken and powerful figure in Putin’s war. His forces – which first appeared in Russia’s initial invasion of eastern Ukraine in 2014 – were stationed in some of the bloodiest battlefields like Bakhmut. There he would frequently post videos criticising the Ministry of Defence and top Russian generals for poor battle plans or not providing enough ammunition. This claim, his former troops say, was a ruse to allow him to stockpile weapons he ultimately used in Russia on Saturday. Speaking exclusively to The Independent, a former Wagner soldier, who was stationed near Bakhmut in November but managed to escape to Europe with the help of dissidents, said Mr Prigozhin was a “skilful manipulator”. The soldier said he had gained so much power due to the war in Ukraine. “Everyone should understand and realise that the regular army and those who serve in Wagner now are under the rule imposed by Prigozhin.” He said that Mr Prigozhin ruled by fear “in a dictatorial regime” and so people remain loyal to survive. “They are frightened reprisal if they speak out or fail to follow orders,” he said, asking to remain anonymous for his own security. He added that Mr Prigozhin’s “hysterical” statements and actions “were aimed at garnering support and creating the image of a strong leader.” “Even to this day, some people continue to view him favourably,” he added. In Ukraine, commanders, officials and foot soldiers watched with amusement, confusion and trepidation, at the events as they unfolded. The extraordinary disintegration of Russia’s top brass signalled an unprecedented opportunity on the battlefield, but many on the ground feared what forces were supporting Mr Prigozhin and the dangers of a President Putin backed into the corner. “If Prigozhin starts destroying aeroplanes and helicopters and makes it to Moscow, it means a big deal,” one Ukrainian intelligence source told The Independent. “He can’t be doing this on his own, he must be supported by someone, some oligarch, someone who wants to remove Putin and put him in power. We don’t know who that is, and that is worrying,” the source added. President Zelensky said that Saturday’s events showed the world “that the bosses of Russia do not control anything. Nothing at all”. It’s “complete chaos,” he wrote on his Twitter account. “There is complete absence of any predictability,” he added urging the West to give more support ousting Russia from Ukrainian lands. Ukrainian soldiers said Ukraine made modest gains on Saturday as the situation in Russia disintegrated. “Without a doubt, we will take advantage of this, as you will see in the near future,” Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesperson for the Armed forces in the east, told The Independent. Read More Russia-Ukraine war live: Prigozhin ‘won’t face criminal charges’ over Wagner coup against Putin ‘Let’s go home’: Wagner paramilitary troops prepare to turn around from Moscow advance Is this the end for Putin? His country now stands on the edge of civil war Putin has never looked weaker – it is hard to see how he can ever recover The Body in the Woods | An Independent TV Original Documentary The harrowing discovery at centre of The Independent’s new documentary

Wagner mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin dramatically halted his advance toward Moscow and ordered his fighters to return to

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has turned his troops back from Moscow to “avoid bloodshed” in the Russian city. In an audio message, the mercenary group leader said his soldiers would return to their bases, in a dramatic U-turn just hours before they were expected to reach the city. He said he gave the order to turn back from their advance on Moscow “because of the risk of blood being spilled”. The announcement appeared to defuse a growing crisis as Moscow braced for the arrival of the private army led by the rebellious commander. It comes as President Vladimir Putin had vowed he would face harsh consequences for what he described as a mutinous assault on Russia. Mr Prigozhin said his men were just 120 miles from Moscow but he had decided to turn them back to avoid “shedding Russian blood”. He did not say if the Kremlin has responded to his demand to oust defence minister Sergei Shoigu. The announcement follows a statement from the office of Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko saying that he had negotiated a deal with Mr Prigozhin after previously discussing the issue with Mr Putin. Mr Prigozhin has accepted Mr Lukashenko’s offer to halt the Wagner group’s advance and further steps to de-escalate the tensions, Mr Lukashenko’s office said, adding that the proposed settlement contains security guarantees for Wagner troops. More follows... Read More Russia-Ukraine war live: Wagner boss turns troops back from Moscow as Kremlin denies Putin has fled Moscow tells residents ‘stay at home’ as Wagner rebels edge closer to Russian city Kremlin denies Putin has fled Moscow as Russia president’s plane ‘disappears’ Mapped: Inside Russian Wagner group’s location and road towards Moscow

The mayor of Moscow has told residents not to travel around the city, with troops from the mutinous Wagner group now just hours away. Sergei Sobyanin also said that Monday would be a non-working day for most and that the measures were needed to “minimise risks”. He added that the situation was "difficult”. Yevgeny Prigozhin’s men are reportedly receiving a mixed reaction from Russians as they journey through the country to launch an assault on the capital after the leader of the mercenary group spoke out against the war in Ukraine. Protections have been put in place around Moscow with the Wagner group reportedly around four hours from its boundaries as its soldiers look set to pose the biggest threat to the rule of Vladimir Putin so far. Armed vehicles have also been filmed passing the Kremlin while it has been reported that the presidential plane has flown from Moscow to St Petersburg. Although the Kremlin denied Vladimir Putin had fled, saying he continued to work in the city. Moscow residents have shared their fears of the impending potential conflict. “It's frightening, of course,” Muscovite Nikolai told the Mail Online. “You sit at home thinking about what might happen. It's disturbing both for you and your loved ones.” Another resident, Sergei, added: “I think everything will turn out fine, but if they're preparing to bring in [anti-terror measures] then it means there's a reason for that.” Read More Russia-Ukraine war live: Kremlin denies Putin has fled Moscow as plane mysteriously disappears from radar Biden briefed on unfolding armed rebellion in Russia as US officials consult with allies Kremlin denies Putin has fled Moscow as Russia president’s plane ‘disappears’

Greeks head to the polls on Sunday for the second time in just over a month to decide

Zambia will pay interest rates of as low as 1% until 2037 as part of its debt restructuring