President Putin and Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin have both made public statements about a suspected mutiny with Putin issuing ultimatum to mercenaries

He told the nation ‘any blackmail is doomed to fail’

‘This could be chapter one of something new,’ a senior UK Government source said.

Sergei Shoigu visiting the advanced control post of Russian troops at an unknown location (Picture: Reuters)

Russia’s defence minister came out of hiding for the first time today since the rebellion from the Wagner Group mercenaries.

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The chief of the rebel Wagner mercenary force will leave Russia and won’t face charges after calling off his troops’ advance on Saturday, Moscow said, easing Russia’s most serious security crisis in decades.

Troops also won’t face punishment for the uprising, the Kremlin added this evening.