"U.S. officials have revealed that intelligence gathered in mid-June
indicated Yevgeniy Prigozhin, the chief of the Wagner mercenary group,
was planning armed action against the Russian defense establishment, the
Washington Post reported....... The specifics and timing 
of Prigozhin’s plans were unclear until
shortly before his surprising takeover of a military command in
Rostov-on-Don and a tank run toward Moscow.....concerns regarding Russia’s nuclear arsenal and President Vladimir
Putin’s hold on power arose, the primary fear was the potential
instability resulting from a “civil war” within Russia.
A crucial trigger for Prigozhin was an order from the Russian Defense
Ministry on June 10, requiring all volunteer detachments to sign
contracts with the government. Although not explicitly mentioning
Wagner, the order implied a takeover of Prigozhin’s mercenary troops,
who have played a vital role in Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine
and secured tactical victories.
Ukrainian military officials had been monitoring Prigozhin following the
announcement and believed he might mobilize his forces against Moscow.
However, the Ukrainian official was unaware of the U.S. sharing
intelligence with Kyiv about Prigozhin’s potential actions.
Despite tensions between Prigozhin’s group and the Russian Ministry of
Defense, Putin was aware of Prigozhin’s plans, although the exact timing
of when he was informed remains unclear. Putin’s lack of action to
prevent Prigozhin’s military command takeover and his advance on Moscow
reflects potential internal rivalries and a lack of coordination within
the Russian government." TP
