We want to begin tonight with the aftermath of short-lived rebellion that pushed Russia to the brink of civil war. And tonight, it is binging new questions: Is V.P’s iron grip on power in peril? The Kremlin is trying to project a sense of calm, but the extent of the damage to the dictator’s standing among the Russian people is still unknown. Tonight, we are hearing for the first time from the mercenary leader since he led the uprising. He claims the mutiny was never an attempt to overthrow the government in Moscow. In a meeting with Russian security officials tonight, P thanked them for their support including the defense minister, who the Wagner Group wanted to be removed. President B today breaking his silence, saying the west played no role in the mutiny. NATO allies and the world are closely monitoring the situation.

The man behind Russia’s rebellion is offering his own reason for backing down, saying tonight that he wanted to avoid major bloodshed. Y.P broke his silence today, releasing an audio message for the first time since agreeing to exile after his failed insurrection. The Wagner leader denied trying to overthrow Russian President V.P and said his fight was with the country’s military leaders. But hours later, the Russian president responded, calling Wagner’s actions a rebellion and vowing to bring its organizers to justice. US officials tell CBSN, they believe P was still in Russia as of this morning, but his current whereabouts are unknown. The revolt began Friday evening, when P blamed a Russian airstrike killing a large number of his fighters. In retaliation, the mercenary boss marched his troops into Russia and seized the city of Rostov, home to Russia’s southern military command. P then directed them toward Moscow to deal, he said, with Defense Minister S.S and his top general. Social media captured the death and destruction along the way. President V.P began to lock down the capital as soldiers took up defensive positions. Heavy equipment ripped up the roads leading to the city.