During the night of 23 June and the morning of 24 June, the Russian Wagner paramilitary group, under the leadership of Yevgeny Prigozhin, initiated a military uprising against the Russian military. Prigozhin accused the military command of attacking his soldiers on Wagner’s field camps in Ukraine, where his troops have been fighting on behalf of Russia, leading to intense tensions and armed clashes on the Russian battlefield. However, the insurrection failed after reaching a critical point at approximately 19:00 (CEST) on 24 June. At this juncture, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, with the participation of Vladimir Putin, managed to broker an “agreement” that convinced Prigozhin to halt the uprising.

The mutiny conducted by the Wagner Group against the Russian government has had profound repercussions within Russia and beyond. This armed insurrection, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, represents a significant turning point in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and exposes bitter divisions within the Putin regime. The failed coup attempt not only exposes vulnerabilities within Russia’s military and security apparatus but also raises concerns about the potential outbreak of civil war and the potential disintegration of the Russian Federation. This article overviews the events surrounding the Wagner mutiny and analyses its implications for Russia and the international community.