Intro

Russian President Vladimir Putin faced a direct challenge to his authority over the weekend. Mercenary fighters with the Wagner group took over a military headquarters and launched a march toward Moscow.

The group's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, eventually called off the uprising. He's apparently accepted a deal to live in exile, and claims the weekend's events were a protest, not an attempt to overthrow the government.

NPR's Charles Maynes in Moscow, and Greg Myre in Kyiv, explain what the turmoil could mean for the future of Putin's rule and the course of the war in Ukraine.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

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