Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Monday that he did not want to overthrow President Vladimir Putin's government, after his aborted mutiny in Russia.
Mr Prigozhin intended to register a protest against Russia's ineffectual conduct of the war in Ukraine, he said.
He explained the reasons for launching the Wagner Group's march on Moscow in an 11-minute audio message posted on the Telegram messaging app.
“We went as a demonstration of protest, not to overthrow the government of the country,” Mr Prigozhin said in the message.
“Our march showed many things we discussed earlier: the serious problems with security in the country.
“In Russian towns, civilians met us with Russian flags and the symbols of Wagner … they were all happy when we passed through.”
Mr Putin on Monday said that he gave an order to avoid bloodshed during the weekend rebellion, saying the West and Kyiv wanted Russians to "kill each other".
"From the start of the events, on my orders steps were taken to avoid large-scale bloodshed," he said in a televised address, thanking Russians for their "endurance and unity, and patriotism".
"It was precisely this fratricide that Russia's enemies wanted: both the neo-Nazis in Kyiv and their western patrons, and all sorts of national traitors. They wanted Russian soldiers to kill each other.
"Civilian solidarity showed that any blackmail, any attempts to organise internal turmoil, is doomed to fail," Mr Putin said.
He said fighters employed by the mercenary outfit Wagner could join the military or leave for Belarus.
"Today you have the possibility to continue serving Russia by entering into a contract with the Ministry of Defence or other law enforcement agencies, or to return to your family and close ones," Mr Putin said.
"Whoever wants to can go to Belarus."
On Saturday, Wagner mercenaries, under Mr Prigozhin's direction, seized control of a military base in southern Russia and began to advance on Moscow.
A deal with the Kremlin led to the mission being aborted before troops reached the capital.
Mr Prigozhin repeated his frequent claim that Wagner was the most effective fighting force in Russia “and even the world”.
He said they should have been used from the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year.
Mr Prigozhin praised his troops for the way they had seized the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don without bloodshed and sent an armed convoy to within 200km of Moscow.
“We showed a master class, as it should have been on February 24, 2022," he said. "We did not have the goal of overthrowing the existing regime and the legally elected government.
“The aim of the march was to avoid the destruction of Wagner.”
Western leaders said Russia emerged weakened after the day-long march across the country by rebels from the front line in Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden said he was briefed hour by hour by his national security team and had spoken with allies on a video conference.
“We made clear that we were not involved. We had nothing to do with it,” Mr Biden said. “This was part of a struggle within the Russian system.
“We're going to keep assessing the fallout of this weekend's events and the implications for Russia and Ukraine. But it's still too early to reach a definitive conclusion about where this is going.”
He also said he was in contact with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“No matter what comes next, we'll keep making sure that our allies and our partners are closely aligned in how we are … responding to the situation,” Mr Biden added.
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has called Mr Prigozhin’s mutiny an “unprecedented challenge to Putin's authority”.
Mr Cleverly told the UK Parliament that it was “clear that cracks are emerging in Russians’ support for the war”.
Mr Prigozhin had driven a “coach and horses through President Putin's case for war” with his comments stating that the invasion was illegitimate.
“One of Putin's prodigies has publicly destroyed his case for the war in Ukraine,” Mr Cleverly said.
“The events of this weekend an unprecedented challenge to Putin's authority with an armoured column approaching his own capital city.”
Former prime minister Liz Truss urged the British government to make a plan “in the case of the implosion of Russia” and to ensure that Ukraine’s Nato membership application was fast-tracked.
Mr Cleverly also told MPs that any action against Ukraine by Belarus, where Mr Prigozhin is thought to have fled, “would be met with severe repercussions from the United Kingdom”.
There was no word about the revolt from Mr Putin, who had said on Saturday that the rebellion put Russia's very existence under threat while vowing to punish those behind it.
The Kremlin released a video of the President congratulating participants in an industrial forum, although there was no indication of when it had been filmed.
Mikhail Mishustin, who leads Mr Putin's cabinet as his Prime Minister, acknowledged that Russia had faced “a challenge to its stability” and called for public loyalty.
“We need to act together, as one team, and maintain the unity of all forces, rallying around the President,” Mr Mishustin told a televised government meeting.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THREE
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
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The Limehouse Golem
Director: Juan Carlos Medina
Cast: Olivia Cooke, Bill Nighy, Douglas Booth
Three stars
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
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Available: Now
The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
My Cat Yugoslavia by Pajtim Statovci
Pushkin Press
ACC 2019: The winners in full
Best Actress Maha Alemi, Sofia
Best Actor Mohamed Dhrif, Weldi
Best Screenplay Meryem Benm’Barek, Sofia
Best Documentary Of Fathers and Sons by Talal Derki
Best Film Yomeddine by Abu Bakr Shawky
Best Director Nadine Labaki, Capernaum
more from Janine di Giovanni
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Afcon 2019
SEMI-FINALS
Senegal v Tunisia, 8pm
Algeria v Nigeria, 11pm
Matches are live on BeIN Sports
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
WRESTLING HIGHLIGHTS
UAE WARRIORS RESULTS
Featherweight
Azouz Anwar (EGY) beat Marcelo Pontes (BRA)
TKO round 2
Catchweight 90kg
Moustafa Rashid Nada (KSA) beat Imad Al Howayeck (LEB)
Split points decision
Welterweight
Gimbat Ismailov (RUS) beat Mohammed Al Khatib (JOR)
TKO round 1
Flyweight (women)
Lucie Bertaud (FRA) beat Kelig Pinson (BEL)
Unanimous points decision
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) beat Regelo Enumerables Jr (PHI)
TKO round 1
Catchweight 100kg
Marc Vleiger (NED) beat Mohamed Ali (EGY)
Rear neck choke round 1
Featherweight
James Bishop (NZ) beat Mark Valerio (PHI)
TKO round 2
Welterweight
Abdelghani Saber (EGY) beat Gerson Carvalho (BRA)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Bakhtiyar Abbasov (AZE) beat Igor Litoshik (BLR)
Unanimous points decision
Bantamweight
Fabio Mello (BRA) beat Mark Alcoba (PHI)
Unanimous points decision
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Magomedsultan Magomedsultanov (RUS)
TKO round 1
Bantamweight
Trent Girdham (AUS) beat Jayson Margallo (PHI)
TKO round 3
Lightweight
Usman Nurmagomedov (RUS) beat Roman Golovinov (UKR)
TKO round 1
Middleweight
Tarek Suleiman (SYR) beat Steve Kennedy (AUS)
Submission round 2
Lightweight
Dan Moret (USA) v Anton Kuivanen (FIN)
TKO round 2
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
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What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
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Blue%20Beetle
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Surianah's top five jazz artists
Billie Holliday: for the burn and also the way she told stories.
Thelonius Monk: for his earnestness.
Duke Ellington: for his edge and spirituality.
Louis Armstrong: his legacy is undeniable. He is considered as one of the most revolutionary and influential musicians.
Terence Blanchard: very political - a lot of jazz musicians are making protest music right now.
BABYLON
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Company%20profile
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A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
