oui’ our state, our nation, it threat to our state, our nation, it is a blow to russia, a blow to our people and our actions to defend the state against this threat will be harsh. these are the latest pictures from rostov where wagner forces have apparently surrounded a military building. in a video released by wagner — yevgeny prigozhin is heard telling russian military officials he wants to speak to the defence minister — or they'll move towards moscow. you are watching bbc news. hello, i am gareth valley. in the last hour, president vladimir putin has said that russia is facing an armed mutiny. it follows a major challenge from the head of the wagner mercenary group. mr putin warned of a harsh response to threats including what he called blackmail and terrorist methods.

he admitted that russian forces were not in control of the key city of rostov—on—don. in a moment, we'll play you mr putin's television address to the russian people. but first, what's led up to this? tanks and armoured vehicles have taken up positions in the southern russian city of rostov—on—don, as a dispute between the army and the wagner mercenary group threatens to degenerate into fighting. videos on social media show heavily armed men in uniform around a government building. the wagner boss yevgeny prigozhin released video of himself inside the local military headquarters in rostov. he says all military installations in the city are under control and working normally. these pictures released form the wagner military group purport to show ngeny prigozhin with armed men in rostov. they say these pictures are taken at the southern military district headquarters in rostov and that he is arguing with deputy defence minister yunus—bek yevkurov and general vladimir alexeyev. the bbc is unable to verify

the location of these pictures. earlier — the kremlin ordered the arrest of yevgeny prigozhin — whose men have been fighting alongside russian forces in ukraine — after he accused the russian military of carrying out a deadly missile strike on wagner troops in ukraine, which the defence ministry denies. anti—terror measures have been introduced in moscow, with armoured vehicles seen on the streets. and the m4 highway connecting moscow and rostov has been closed. here's mr putin's television address to the russian nation. translation: any actions that splitters are a betrayal of your people, a betrayal of the comrades that are fighting on the front line, a knife in the back of our people. this struck russia in 1917, when

russia was waging the first world war, victory was stolen from us. politicking behind the back of the army and the people turned into huge upheaval, the destruction of the army and the state. the loss of huge territories. as a result, it was tragedy, russian killing russians, civil war. and benefit was derived by various political adventurers, foreign powers that are tearing the country apart. we shall not let this happen again. we will defend our people and our state. including against internal strife and betrayal. and that is what we are facing, betrayal. and when personal ambitions takeover, overfaith in

your own people and the cars for which the soldiers the wagner group are fighting shoulder to shoulder, those who liberated villages, they fought and gave their lives for new russia. this is a betrayal by those who are pushing the country to anarchy and fratricide. ultimately defeat and keep alienation. i shall repeat, any internal mutiny is a serious threat to our state, our nation, it is a blow to russia, a blow to our people and our actions to defend the state against this threat will be harsh. those who consciously chose treason, blackmail

and terrorist methods will be inevitably punished. they will answer before the law and before our people. the armed forces and other state authorities have received necessary orders, additional measures of anti—terrorist nature are now enforced in moscow and other regions. action will be taken to stabilise the situation in rostov—on—don, it remains difficult, in fact, the government and military administrations have been blocked. as the president of russia and the supreme commander and chief, as a citizen is russia, i shall do everything to defend the country, to defend the constitutional system, life and security and the freedom of people, those who organised and prepared the armed mutiny, those who

took up arms against their comrades have betrayed russia and will answer for it. that was vladimir putin addressing the nation early this morning. earlier, yevgeny prigozhin announced what he called a march forjustice, saying anyone who stood in his way would be eliminated. but he says this is not a coup. translation: they have been shooting at us, we've been shooting at them. and that has been going on these eight long years from 2014 to 2022. sometimes, the amount of shelling and exchange of fire has increased, sometimes it has eased. in february 2a, there was nothing extraordinary. now, the russian defence ministry is trying to deceive the president and the public by claiming there was insane aggression on the part of ukraine and they were going to attack us along with the entire natal block. so the so—called special military operation on

february 2a, was launched for completely different reasons. earlier, i spoke to our russia editor steve rosenberg who detailed the timeline of events over the last 2a hours. it began yesterday morning, i was astonished to watch mr progozhin�*s video address that was posted online where he basically accused the russian defence minister of being behind the war in ukraine. and saying that the justifications that the kremlin had given, the originaljustifications, the need to denazify and demilitarise ukraine, rememberthose back from february 2022, that this is not about those at all. he claimed that the russian defence minister had wanted to be promoted from general to marshall and at that point, i thought, and other people

thought, that perhaps this was a ploy to give vladimir putin a way out of this war which has not gone to plan, to make the russian military leadership the fall guys here for russian military failure and then yes even, even more astonishment as mr prigozhin claimed that the russian military, his own side, had launched a missile attack on a wagner base camp, killing he said lots of people, although he provided no evidence of that, and then announcing that wagner had taken the decision to start a march ofjustice, he said it was, military coup, but he said he had 25,000 wagner fighters who are ready to get rid of evil he said in the russian military leadership, so it was clear last night that he was laying down the gauntlet and this challenge to try to remove the russian military leadership. and then waking up this morning, the reports that wagner fighters had crossed overfrom ukraine back

into russia, that they had entered rostov and reports this morning that wagner is now in control of military sites in rostov, including the airfield, including, it seems, from another video, the major regional military headquarters in rostov. there was this extraordinary video that we saw this morning, again posted on social media, showing yevgeny prigozhin sitting between two very senior russian military commanders, including a deputy defence minister, arguing with them and basically delivering an ultimatum to them saying that look, i have come here to get the russian defence minister and the chief of the general staff and until i do get them, we are going to stay right here and we are going to continue to blockade rostov and we will head to moscow. with more on this now i'm joined by the bbc monitoring's

russia editor vitaly shevchenko. what's going on at the moment, just bring us up to date with the latest as we know it. figs bring us up to date with the latest as we know it.— as we know it. as far as we know, wa . ner as we know it. as far as we know, wagner is — as we know it. as far as we know, wagner is in _ as we know it. as far as we know, wagner is in control— as we know it. as far as we know, wagner is in control of _ wagner is in control of rostov—on—don which is a huge city of more than1 rostov—on—don which is a huge city of more than 1 million rostov—on—don which is a huge city of more than1 million people right next to the border with ukraine in southern russia. it also appears to be in control of the russian southern military command, headquartered in rostov which is the main military command centre for russian military operations in ukraine. what we haven't seen is evidence of major fighting or skirmishes between wagner mercenaries and russian regular troops. there are unconfirmed claims that wagner has shot down a number

of helicopters and a military plane, but as i say, it is not confirmed yet. there are also reports, for example, by the british defence ministry that wagner forces are on the way to moscow. this is a truly unprecedented situation over the past two decades ever vladimir putin's rouble in russia. 0ne past two decades ever vladimir putin's rouble in russia. one of his main selling points to the public in russia was that he restored order after the lawless 19905 and that is something that he cannot claim any more. also, he is not going to be able to say that his special military operation in ukraine is going according to plan. which is an assertion he's made time and again over the past year and a half. so this is a major blow to vladimir

putin's rule. we this is a major blow to vladimir putin's rule.— this is a major blow to vladimir putin's rule. ~ . , _, , putin's rule. we are seeing comments from the chechen _ putin's rule. we are seeing comments from the chechen leader _ putin's rule. we are seeing comments from the chechen leader that - putin's rule. we are seeing comments from the chechen leader that he - putin's rule. we are seeing comments from the chechen leader that he is - from the chechen leader that he is prepared to utilise his forces in support of the kremlin to help put down this mutiny by wagner forces. what do we know about that? it comes as no surprise — what do we know about that? it comes as no surprise because _ what do we know about that? it comes as no surprise because progozhin - as no surprise because progozhin launched his march forju5tice a5 as no surprise because progozhin launched his march forju5tice as he called it, a cool, there are signs of a power struggle in russia so it is significant that the chechen leader has come out in support of a vladimir putin. the big question now is how the situation in rostov is going to be resolved. whether progozhin will be able to meet the russian defence minister and the chief of general staff as he... which is his key demand at the

moment. also, whether the russian defence ministry is going to take decisive action and target wagner forces. a5 decisive action and target wagner forces. as i say, there is no evidence of major fighting at the moment, but the situation is really tense. security has been stepped up in a number of russian regions, including the capital, moscow, and southern regions. in moscow, all public events have been cancelled, but otherwise, life goes on in moscow. public transport is running and there is a degree of normality that has been preserved in moscow. even in rostov region, we've seen videos showing street cleaners sweeping up the streets in rostov. so despite all that is going on,

things appear to be mostly calm in russia. ., ~' , ., things appear to be mostly calm in russia. ., ,, i. g , things appear to be mostly calm in russia. ., ~' g , . russia. thank you. just a reminder, ou could russia. thank you. just a reminder, you could see _ russia. thank you. just a reminder, you could see on _ russia. thank you. just a reminder, you could see on the _ russia. thank you. just a reminder, you could see on the screen - russia. thank you. just a reminder, you could see on the screen behind| you could see on the screen behind there that we have the live page running on the bbc website and the 3pp running on the bbc website and the app on your smartphone or tablet. you can see it on the screen at the moment. it is bringing together all of our insight and analysis from the bbc and from our teams at bbc monitoring and bbc verify to. you can follow developments classify ourselves on the live page on our website. former mi6 officer and russia expert christopher steele joins us now from farnham, surrey, in southern england. thank you so much forjoining us. doctor is about your assessment of the impact on the russian state mechanism. 0n the authorities and the cohesion of them this mutiny now ijy the cohesion of them this mutiny now by these wagner forces. goad the cohesion of them this mutiny now by these wagner forces.— by these wagner forces. good to be with ou. by these wagner forces. good to be with you. clearly _ by these wagner forces. good to be with you. clearly this _ by these wagner forces. good to be with you. clearly this is _ by these wagner forces. good to be with you. clearly this is the - with you. clearly this is the biggest

with you. clearly this is the bi - nest threat to with you. clearly this is the biggest threat to putin's system and government since he came to power in 2000 and i think only vladimir putin has got himself to blame for this. he has created a system in particular in setting up prigozhin as a particular in setting up prigozhin a5 a sort of frankenstein's monster which has got out of control. 0ne a5 a sort of frankenstein's monster which has got out of control. one of his techniques for keeping and power has been to divide the people below him, keep them in tension and conflict with each other, and to sit on top of it all and of course this has now exploded really in his face. i think that russia has become a pretty ungovernable and dysfunctional place in the last few years and now the chickens are coming home to roost. you monitored russia from — coming home to roost. you monitored russia from an — coming home to roost. you monitored russia from an external— coming home to roost. you monitored russia from an external perspective i russia from an external perspective for several years for mi6 russia from an external perspective for several years for m16 and we have seen comments from poland, france as well that the leaders of those countries are monitoring development is. just give us a bit of insight, how do foreign nations monitor these fast—moving events and what information, what key issues

would they be looking out for? it is actually very _ would they be looking out for? it 3 actually very difficult to monitor these kinds of events. i was in fact in moscow in the embassy in 1991 when the last event of this sort happened and in fact an attempt by a sort of right—wing nationalist element to launch a coup against the regime. i think we can do really is try and monitor things, communications, what you see, and i think the difference may be now if you have things like social media and so on were people are posting films and videos and information in a much more real—time method. intelligence in this situation is difficult, it is difficult to get a grip on a fast—moving situation on a traditional intelligence. grip on a fast-moving situation on a traditional intelligence.— traditional intelligence. based on what we are _ traditional intelligence. based on what we are seeing _ traditional intelligence. based on what we are seeing at _ traditional intelligence. based on what we are seeing at the - traditional intelligence. based on i what we are seeing at the moment, how do you think this will play out? what will the next stages we? [30 how do you think this will play out? what will the next stages we? do not think we know. _ what will the next stages we? do not think we know, to _ what will the next stages we? do not think we know, to be _ what will the next stages we? do not think we know, to be honest. - what will the next stages we? do not

think we know, to be honest. i- what will the next stages we? do not think we know, to be honest. i get. think we know, to be honest. i get more and more the feeling of what happened in 1991 here and i think the russian federation itself is very weak in many ways and what is clear here, what is really significant here i think, two things, one is prigozhin does not seem to be coming up against much opposition. there is even talk of him having taken a second city, and the second is interesting in that he has called out the false mandate that caused this war that putin claimed ukraine wa5 that caused this war that putin claimed ukraine was being run by nazi, po5t claimed ukraine was being run by nazi, post a military threat to russia, and prigozhin has called that art is a lie and that threatens i think putin's whole system because of the failure of russian troops on the ground. of the failure of russian troops on the ground-— of the failure of russian troops on the round. ., ., ., the ground. you mentioned the war there, of course _ the ground. you mentioned the war there, of course the _ the ground. you mentioned the war there, of course the ongoing - there, of course the ongoing conflict in ukraine and we are

talking about the events in russia. how do you think you have response to this and utilises this disunity within russia to potentially make progress in its counteroffensive? when you consider that possibly one in four russian front line fighters are from a wagner or have been and that the only claimable success in the war in the last year has been achieved by wagner forces the war in the last year has been achieved by wagnerforces in bakhmut, clearly there is a risk between fighting breaking out between fighting breaking out between russian troops and wagner troops both inside ukraine and russia. this is a massive boost for the ukrainian counteroffensive and morale and we can see some very dramatic of elements i think in the next week or so. —— we could see some. next week or so. -- we could see some. ., ~' next week or so. -- we could see some. . ~ ,, next week or so. -- we could see some. . ~ i: ,., next week or so. -- we could see some. . ~ i: . next week or so. -- we could see some. . ~ . g , some. thank you so much. just a coule some. thank you so much. just a couple of — some. thank you so much. just a couple of lines _ some. thank you so much. just a couple of lines coming _ some. thank you so much. just a couple of lines coming in - some. thank you so much. just a couple of lines coming in to - some. thank you so much. just a couple of lines coming in to bring you up—to—date. a nato spokeswoman

nato is monitoring the the situation in russia. meanwhile the office of the italian prime minister giorgia meloni says the rebellion by the mercenary chief prigozhin shows russia's invasion of ukraine is backfiring against the russian president vladimir putin. meanwhile, the estonian prime minister has said estonia has a strength and security on the russian border and has urged people not to travel to any part of the country. we will bring you more development as we get them. live now to andrius kubiliu5 who is the former prime minister of lithuania. he has been serving as a member of the european parliament since 2019. he is a member of the committee on foreign affairs and is the eu parliament's special rapporteur on relations with russia. hejoins us now from brussels. you have met vladimir putin in person and i'm interested to get your insight into the man himself. what you think you be thinking and

saying at the moment? goad what you think you be thinking and saying at the moment? good morning. reall , i saying at the moment? good morning. really. i had — saying at the moment? good morning. really, i had such _ saying at the moment? good morning. really, i had such a _ saying at the moment? good morning. really, i had such a chance _ saying at the moment? good morning. really, i had such a chance back - saying at the moment? good morning. really, i had such a chance back in - really, i had such a chance back in 2009. my impression was he was a tough guy when he feels are some of this week, but when someone is quite strong, perhaps he has a problem of what to do. —— tough guy when he feels that someone is weak. i see quite a week putin in his statements and how the whole situation is developing and it makes us watch the situation very carefully, but i would not be surprised if the kremlin regime will collapse very soon. ., , y ., kremlin regime will collapse very soon. . ., ., kremlin regime will collapse very soon. . , ., ., i, , ., soon. that is your analysis of the situation- — soon. that is your analysis of the situation. when _ soon. that is your analysis of the situation. when you _ soon. that is your analysis of the situation. when you say - soon. that is your analysis of the situation. when you say quite - soon. that is your analysis of the i situation. when you say quite soon, are we talking days, months, years?

no, because everything is very difficult to predict, but what i wanted to know myself, what question i am asking, definitely it is clear prigozhin wa5 i am asking, definitely it is clear prigozhin was preparing himself for a mutiny or uprising or whatever you call it. this was not an accidental decision yesterday to start this march to moscow. he was preparing himself. the question is with whom he was consulting and we shall see quite soon because if yesterday during the night he occupied rostov—on—don and this morning voronezh, which is one day's march from moscow. and for the time being,

the military is ready to defend the kremlin from this march of prigozhin. prigozhin is declaring with a very large voice that those regular units which he is meeting on his way to moscow, they are joining him, they are not resisting, they are not fighting against him, so we shall see. this day will be very crucial, we will see. we will see how things are developing. you are the eu parliament _ how things are developing. you are the eu parliament special - how things are developing. you are l the eu parliament special rapporteur on relations with russia. how does the eu respond to this?— the eu respond to this? well, you know, i the eu respond to this? well, you know. i would _ the eu respond to this? well, you know, i would call— the eu respond to this? well, you know, i would call it _ the eu respond to this? well, you know, i would call it some - know, i would call it some interesting coincidence that two weeks ago in the parliament there was a big conference on the future of russia together with russia

opposition and we called it a day after and this is coming a lot more quickly than we anticipated. we will see how possible changes develop the kremlin and it is interesting to see that one of the opposition leaders in his opening statement this morning supported prigozhin in his march to remove the kremlin regime 5o march to remove the kremlin regime so we need to be ready for developments which could happen very soon. we need to be ready on our borders, a5 soon. we need to be ready on our borders, as there can be quite a big flow from any military clashes, but we also need to be ready for the resume and i could not predict what kind of resume we could get, if prigozhin would take all the power to himself or look for different options. it is still too early to predict. it is very clear, at least

from yesterday's statement which was really very crucial, that he is very critical in general on putin's initiative to start this bloody and criminal war against ukraine, initiative to start this bloody and criminalwaragainst ukraine, so initiative to start this bloody and criminal war against ukraine, so we can see quite big changes not only in the kremlin but the whole policy of the russia of today.— in the kremlin but the whole policy of the russia of today. former prime minister of lithuania, _ of the russia of today. former prime minister of lithuania, andrius - minister of lithuania, andrius kubilius, thank you forjoining u5 kubilius, thank you forjoining us here on bbc. iju5t want to bring you up—to—date with some of the latest of elements coming into us here live on london. these are reports from reuters news agency creating yevgeny prigozhin responding to that televised addre55 responding to that televised address that we saw from putin. prigozhin has that we saw from putin. prigozhin ha5i55ued, that we saw from putin. prigozhin has issued, according to reuters, a defiant message and says that president putin wa5 defiant message and says that president putin was wrong to accuse him of treason. prigozhin goes on to say that nobody plans to turn

themselves in to putin's order. that is yevgeny prigozhin responding to vladimir putin wa5 is yevgeny prigozhin responding to vladimir putin was quite defiant comments there. we will follow them closely and have our teams at bbc verify and bbc monitoring also looking at those comments and we will bring you more details here on bbc news and on the live pages on our website and on the app which you can download on your smartphone or tablet. that is the latest, responses from yevgeny prigozhin saying nobody plans to turn themselves into vladimir putin. plenty more in the coming hours. do stay with us here on bbc news. hello there. we do not see a first day over 25 celsius until the very end of may but we made up for it thisjune. take a look at heathrow and aviemore were in london heathrow there has been 1a days so far thisjune. the

record of 17. aviemore, we have already got above the previous record of seven by two days and are still the chance of both those figures to go higher this weekend as we draw in the humid airfrom the south ahead of fresher conditions to how these weather fronts which will bring a change through sunday. through today, still a bit of cloud, low cloud around western coast of wales. a few sharp showers in northern scotland, isolated once elsewhere. most drier sunny spells are looking good for the prospect at lord's, queens and glastonbury but is pretty hot and humid, 25 to 29, 30 degrees quite widely set against an average of what should be 17 to 21 degrees. they say time averages, they will be close to that night acro55 they will be close to that night across the country. temperatures not dropping much lower than around 15 to 70 degrees acro55 dropping much lower than around 15 to 70 degrees across most parts of the uk. very humid and uncomfortable night and start to sunday. —— 15 to

17 degrees. the fresher add—on guest at the percent which will bring heavy, thundery downpours in northern ireland through the morning, into western fringes. a few isolated thunderstorms before that arrives and still heavy showers in northern ireland but for the far south of england and wales, the chance of a shower is only a very small one. most places will stay dry, very hot and humid it was the south and east. 31, 30 two celsius, much more comfortable, west of scotland and northern ireland at 17, 18 degrees. 0vernight thunderstorms gradually clearing, a lot of some to start monday. a few showers bring acro55 start monday. a few showers bring across scotland through the day, some heavy thundery and thermal persistent rain to the west of northern ireland later on. isolated shower and at some turning hazy for england and wales during monday afternoon but temperatures close to where they should be for the stage injune. 17 to 23 degrees. there will be the same set of values we

see through the rest of this coming week, may be dropping a touch on some wet spots wa5 week, may be dropping a touch on some wet spots was not always drier and a bit warmer further south you are. —— is always drier.

this is bbc news, the headlines... this is bbc news, the headlines... tanks are seen on the streets tanks are seen on the streets of rostov on don as president putin of rostov on don as president putin says russia is in the midst says russia is in the midst of an armed mutiny. of an armed mutiny.

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