US knew in advance about Wagner coup

According to The Washington Post, U.S. spies intercepted signals in mid-June indicating that Yevgeny Prigozhin was planning to revolt against Russian authorities. The precise details and timing of Prigozhin’s plans were unclear until just before he entered Russia. However, sources in Washington claim that authorities were aware that “something” could happen.

Over the past two weeks, there have been significant concerns due to the “unclear signals” about what exactly would take place. The main focus was on whether President Vladimir Putin would remain in power. Additionally, the instability within the country could pose a risk to the management of Russia’s nuclear weapons.

In addition to the White House, high-ranking officials in the Pentagon, the State Department, and Congress were reportedly informed about the information regarding a potential uprising by Prigozhin.

Tensions between the Russian military and Wagner escalated on Friday, allegedly triggered by Russian attacks on Wagner camps in Ukraine. Wagner is fighting on the Russian side in the war in Ukraine. In response, Prigozhin announced his intention to seek revenge on the Russian military leadership.

On Saturday evening, it was announced that the head of Wagner had agreed to a proposal to de-escalate the situation, leading to the halt of his troops’ advance towards the Russian capital, Moscow.