The head of the Wagner paramilitary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, had ambitions to detain senior Russian defense officials but his plans were foiled explaining his mutiny last week, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
According to the American daily, which quotes unnamed Western officials, he wanted to capture Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov during a trip of the latter to the south of the country.
But Russia's FSB security service became aware of the plan and the two officials changed their movements, the newspaper added. This forced Wagner's leader to advance his plans and on Friday his forces seized the Russian army headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, crucial in the command of the war in Ukraine, before starting a "march" on Moscow.
"Incompetent"
On Saturday, he made a spectacular about-face explaining in an audio message Monday that he wanted to save his organization, not seize power. The boss of Wagner, who has been in Belarus since Tuesday, has for months accused the defense minister and the chief of staff of being incompetent and of having sent tens of thousands of soldiers to Ukraine to sacrifice.
See alsoFate of Prigozhine, future of Wagner... the main points of the agreement negotiated by Putin
For its part, the New York Times, which quotes unidentified officials, also ensures Wednesday that Russian General Sergei Surovikin had prior knowledge of Yevgeny Prigozhin's plans for mutiny. "Gossip," according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
The New York daily reported that U.S. officials were "trying to find out if General Surovikin helped plan Prigozhin's actions last weekend." He wonders whether other high-ranking Russian military leaders supported Wagner's boss.
VIDEO. Wagner vs. Putin: Prigozhin claimed to control military sites in Rostov
The head of the Russian National Guard Viktor Zolotov, a close lieutenant of Russian President Vladimir Putin, quoted by the Russian news agency Interfax, said Tuesday that the rebellion had been "prepared and inspired by Western intelligence services," which "knew weeks before it began."