Prigozhin announces Wagner retreats to his bases to avoid bloodshed

The head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is leading an armed rebellion against the Russian military leadership, announced today that his fighters will return to their bases after moving 200 kilometres from Moscow to avoid bloodshed.

"The time has come when blood may be shed. That is why, realising all the responsibility for the spilling of Russian blood by one of the sides, our columns turn around and we return to our bases according to the plan," he said in an audio message on his Telegram channel.