Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group, has called for an armed rebellion in Russia, leading to a power struggle and criticism from Adam Kinzinger, a CNN senior political commentator and former GOP congressman. The Wagner Group has been a key piece of Russia's strategy in Ukraine, and Prigozhin has been sharply critical of Russian military leadership. Kinzinger has highlighted the apparent admiration for Putin by former Fox News host Tucker Carlson in the wake of the call.
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A recent intelligence briefing from Britain's Ministry of Defense reveals that Yevgeny Prigozhin, a well-known figure in Russia, is in control of the Russian military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don. In response, Vladimir Putin has denounced the rebellion as a "betrayal" and "treason" and vowed to defend Russia against it. This is the biggest threat to Putin’s leadership in over two decades in power.
The U.S. intelligence community has released a 10-page declassified report on the origins of Covid-19, finding no direct evidence of a "biosafety incident" at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and that natural exposure to an infected animal is the most likely scenario for the first human infection. The report also noted that the intelligence community has not seen evidence that the virus was released from the Wuhan Institute of Virology intentionally or accidentally, and that the Chinese government has not been fully transparent in its response to the pandemic.
Wagner Private Military Contractor Enters Rostov Without Resistance, Owner Yevgeny Prigozhin Reports
Wagner Private Military Contractor Enters Rostov Without Resistance, Owner Yevgeny Prigozhin Reports
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of the Wagner private military contractor, recently announced that his forces had driven into the Russian city of Rostov without facing any resistance. Prigozhin also reported that Wagner camps had been struck by rockets, helicopter gunships and artillery fire, and that the troops were greeted by border guards as they moved into the Rostov region. Wagner is a Russian private military company that has been involved in conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, and Libya, and is likely in the region to support the Russian military.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, accused the Russian military of “destroying” his fighters and vowed to stop the “evil” of the military leadership. The Russian Defense Ministry quickly denied the accusations, calling them an “informational provocation”. This is the first time Prigozhin has publicly accused the Russian military of such actions, and it remains to be seen how the government will respond.
Wealthy financier Jay Bloom has shared text messages he exchanged with the late CEO of OceanGate Exploration, Stockton Rush, who had offered Bloom and his son discounted tickets to ride on the submersible to tour the Titanic. Bloom declined the offer, but the submersible, named Titan, was piloted by Rush and was lost at sea on June 18th. The tragedy has sparked a debate about the safety of submersible tours, with some questioning the wisdom of taking such a risk.
Five people, including OceanGate's CEO, are presumed dead after a submersible voyage to the wreckage of the Titanic. Shock and concern initially followed the tragedy, but as more details emerged, this has been replaced by crass humor and memes mocking the victims. The families of the five people on board are still awaiting news of their fate.
The British military has reported that Russia is training combat dolphins in the annexed Crimean peninsula to counter Ukrainian forces, investing heavily in security at the Black Sea Fleet's main base at Sevastopol. Imagery shows a near doubling of floating mammal pens in the harbor which likely contain bottle-nosed dolphins, and the animals are "highly likely intended to counter enemy divers." It is unclear how effective the dolphins will be, but it is clear that Russia is investing heavily in its defences.