Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin claims control of major Russian city Rostov-on-Don

The brag of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, says helium has seized "all subject facilities" successful the confederate metropolis of Rostov-on-Don.

The announcement comes hours aft helium threatened to topple Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.

President Vladimir Putin said this was "a stab successful the back" and pledged to punish those who had "betrayed" Russia.

He acknowledged the concern successful Rostov remained difficult. Tightened information has been introduced successful Moscow.

The Wagner Group is simply a backstage service of mercenaries that has been warring alongside the regular Russian service successful Ukraine.

Tension has been increasing betwixt them implicit however the warfare has been fought, with Mr Prigozhin launching vocal criticisms of Russia's subject enactment successful caller months.

The melodramatic escalation came aft Mr Prigozhin accused Russia's subject of hitting his group's basal successful Ukraine - a assertion denied by Moscow.

Mr Prigozhin claims this is not a subject coup - but his purpose seems to beryllium to topple Russia's subject leadership, reports the BBC's Russia exertion Steve Rosenberg successful Moscow.

In a video posted connected his Telegram transmission connected Saturday, Mr Prigozhin said his fighters had entered Rostov-on-Don aft crossing the borderline from Ukraine - and said his men would destruct anyone who stood successful their way.

He said his forces had changeable down a Russian subject chopper that "opened occurrence connected a civilian convoy" - nary determination was fixed and that assertion could not beryllium instantly verified.

The section politician successful Rostov urged citizens determination to support calm and enactment indoors.

Wagner forces are besides said to beryllium successful power of subject facilities successful the metropolis of Voronezh, northbound of Rostov and connected way to Moscow.

In his TV code connected Saturday, Mr Putin described the enactment arsenic a "betrayal" by radical putting idiosyncratic ambitions supra the interests of Russia.

Looking stern, the Russian president said those liable - without mentioning Mr Prigozhin by sanction - would beryllium held responsible. Praising Wagner mercenaries for their engagement successful the warfare successful Ukraine, helium urged them not to travel their bosses.

Mr Prigozhin and President Putin utilized to person a adjacent relationship.

But the latest situation is simply a headache for the Russian person - connected apical of the information that the Russian penetration of Ukraine has not been going to program - our Moscow analogous says, and Mr Putin has decided to present accidental "enough is enough".