New groups in Russia vie to replace Wagner mercenaries
Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen on monitors in Moscow, Russia, June 24, 2023, as he addresses the nation after Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group military company, began an armed rebellion and reached the southern city of Rostov-on-Don with his troops. When Prigozhin challenged the Kremlin, Western officials predicted Putin would seek vengeance against the mercenary leader. Although authorities have not yet confirmed the death of Prigozhin and his top lieutenants in Wednesday’s plane crash northwest of Moscow, it sent an immediate chill through Russian official circles. The message was clear: Anyone who dares to cross the Kremlin will perish.
One day after a jet dropped out of the sky north of Moscow, reportedly killing Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and his top commanders, rival private militias are jockeying to fill the vacuum. And, researchers from the British Antarctic Survey say it’s likely no emperor penguin chicks survived in 4 out of 5 colonies in one Antarctica region. Loss of sea ice is to blame. Also, the number of children living with only one parent — usually the mother — is growing worldwide, according to the UN. In Latin America, a combination of patriarchal culture and weak laws allow for many fathers to skip out on their financial obligations and get away with it. Plus, a race across Europe using public transit ends in a sprint.
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