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Sapsan Trains - Unofficial Guide to Russian High-Speed Trains

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• 210 km/h Average speed
• 12 - 14 Daily departures
• 3 h 30 min Shortest travel time
• 6 seat classes Available coach classes

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Cheap flights from Moscow to Saint Petersburg

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• Sheremetyevo - A.S. Pushkin international airport (SVO) Moscow 41 min 27 km
• Moscow Domodedovo Mikhail Lomonosov Airport (DME) Moscow 59 min 42 km
• Vnukovo International Airport (VKO) Moscow 56 min 28 km
• Zhukovsky International Airport (ZIA) Zhukovskiy 1 hr 9 min 40 km

Popular airports near Saint Petersburg

• Pulkovo Airport (LED) Saint Petersburg 32 min 15 km
• Mezhdunarodnyy Aeroport Pskov Imeni Knyagini Ol'gi (PKV) Pskov 3 hr 55 min 262 km

Frequently asked questions about flying from Moscow to Saint Petersburg

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5 easy ways to get from Moscow to St. Petersburg

A passenger with luggage walks at Pulkovo airport outside St. Petersburg

Price: $70-250 Duration: 1,5

There are about twenty flights a day from all three of Moscow’s airports. If you book in advance, you can get a really good deal and buy a return ticket for $70 (4500 rubles). Pobeda Airlines usually offers the cheapest options. Aeroflot fares start at $110 (7000 rubles). Check out www.aviasales.ru , www.ozon.travel or other ticket aggregators for the best deals.

The travel time is just about 1,5 hours. Don’t forget to factor in airport transfer from the city center, which takes at least 45 minutes by Aeroexpress,  possibly around two hours by taxi, which has to navigate unpredictable Moscow traffic. And leave at least 1,5 hours for airport check-in.

After arriving in St. Petersburg, you’ll have to get from the Pulkovo airport to the city center, which is an additional 30 minutes.

With no less than five hours spent getting from point A to point B, flying to St. Petersburg is definitely not the fastest way. On the other hand, planes are obviously a better option for traveling late at night, when high-speed trains don’t run and only slower options are available.

John Underwood from the US: “I live in Moscow for 2 years now, and have to travel once a month to St. Petersburg for work. I usually prefer flying because I live and work far away from the city center and not far away from Sheremetyevo airport. For me, it is the most convenient option. One time I had a night flight and was extremely tired after my busy workday. I managed to fall asleep right next to my gate, after all the check-ins. It is still a great mystery for me why nobody woke me up but I am sure that it was obvious for the crew that I was a passenger for their flight. Anyway, the next flight was in one hour, so I had to buy a new ticket and a huge cup of coffee not to fall asleep again.”

2. Express train

Passengers on St. Petersburg's Moscow Railway Station platform by the Sapsan high-speed train on the St.Petersburg-Moscow line

Price:  $39-94 Duration: 4 hours

Do not miss the experience of travel by rail while you are in Russia. Trains between two capitals run on a regular basis during the day and overnight. They connect Leningradskiy Vokzal station in Moscow and the Moskovsky Vokzal station in St. Petersburg.

The fastest train is Sapsan. It is a very modern, comfortable speed train and the journey takes just under four hours. They are planning to make it even faster and reduce travel time to three hours starting in 2020.

Standard seats cost around $39-47 (2500 – 3000 rubles) and business-class seats start from $94 (6000 rubles). There are 13 Sapsan trains a day. The first departs at 05:45 in the morning and the latest one departs at 21:00. Better book in advance at www.rzd.ru or www.tutu.ru .

Wabke Waaier from the Netherlands: “My favorite way of traveling from Moscow to St. Petersburg is by train. The most comfortable way is by Sapsan, and especially in winter, this is a great chance to enjoy the endless Russian landscape with its snowy hills and valleys. But even more romantic is to take the night train. The music that sounds in St. Petersburg at the railway station when the train from or to Moscow is arriving or leaving is unforgettable and makes you feel like you are part of a Russian classical novel!”

3. Overnight train

Passengers in a carriage of the train

Price: $24-102 Duration: 8-10 hours

Sapsan is surely the fastest train, but a night train is where the “Russian train magic” usually happens. If you don’t care about luxury and comfort and want to create lifetime memories you should definitely try a berth in the ‘plazkart’ (sleeping car). However, be prepared to meet all kinds of people here. There’s a chance they are not planning to sleep, but drink, play guitar and sing songs all night long (however, if you want some quiet time, there’s always a train conductor to calm the loudest ones). The Plazkart is the cheapest option, with tickets starting from $24 (1500 rubles), depending on the class of the train itself.

You can always choose a ‘kupe’ (compartment) option instead. There are usually four berths there, and it can be very cozy. But if you travel alone and don’t want to sleep in one small “room” with three strangers, this is not the best option.

Some overnight trains offer a true luxury experience. For example, the Megapolis train (www.poezdmegapolis.ru), which departs daily at 00:30, has  “room service” and offers dinner and breakfast. The prices start from $47 (3000 rubles) for a kupe and $102 (6500 rubles) for a first-class compartment, meaning there are only two beds in a compartment, instead of four.

Chris Gilbert from the UK: “There was a time in 2006 when I missed my evening train back from Moscow, had to buy a ticket on the only remaining overnight, and ended up sharing a compartment with three Kazakh farmers. Ended up drinking samogon and eating horse meat until about 4 am. I never knew how delicious the horse was!”

Toll booths on the Moscow Ring Road - Solnechnogorsk section of the M11 Moscow-St. Petersburg highway.

Price: $50-200 a day to rent a vehicle, plus gas and toll. Ride-sharing services cost $23-30 Duration: 9 hours

Low gas prices and a distance of about 700 km between the two cities make traveling by car a solid option. Travel time depends on how long you are willing to drive without stopping, and of course the traffic conditions, but on average, it is a nine-hour journey.

At the end of 2019, they are planning to open a new M-11 highway toll road, reducing travel time to 5,5 hours (if you don’t make any stops). The total toll rate will be around $32 (2000 rubles). You can rent a car at www.europcar.ru or www.avisrussia.ru. Don’t forget to bring your international driving license. 

Traveling by car can become even nicer if you stop (or maybe even stay for the night) in one of the beautiful ancient cities along the way – Tver, Torzhok, Veliky Novgorod and Valdai. There is a lot to see and explore there.

If you don’t want to drive by yourself, but still want to make this unforgettable road trip, you can use one of the ridesharing services. The most popular one in Russia is Blablacar (www.blablacar.ru, and there’s an app). Usually, you only have to split the fuel cost, which makes the ridesharing journey from Moscow to St. Petersburg the cheapest option.

Jan Larssen from Denmark: “I have never used the ridesharing services, but I heard from my Russian friends that it became very popular in Moscow. I decided to check it out and the journey from Moscow to St. Petersburg happened to be the funniest experience of my life. I had to share the car with two other passengers. I was the only foreigner there and knew just a few Russian words but it was not a problem. I have never seen such open and friendly people and in one hour we already became friends. They told me a thousand funny stories of their lives and taught me some Russian and the driver even got me to the exact location I needed to be in St. Petersburg. He didn’t have to do it but I guess this is how Russian people are. It was a long trip and it was exhausting but I have never regretted that I made it.”

Price: $18-25 Duration: 12-13 hours

The last option would be to go to St. Petersburg by bus. However, we wouldn't recommend that, as the trip is very long (12-13 hours) and not comfortable compared to just about every other option here. The bus schedule is also a bit confusing and differs depending on the day. If you still want to try it, stick to official companies like Ecolines. A one-way trip costs $18 (1150 rubles).

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Delta celebrates 45 years of nonstop service from Germany to the U.S.

This past week, Delta celebrated 45 years of non-stop service from Germany to the United States. Since the route opened almost half a century ago, Delta has transported more than 21 million customers between Frankfurt and United States – over 25 times the population of the city itself. Germany remains one of Delta’s most important trans-Atlantic markets.   

Delta’s operations have grown significantly over the last 45 years - from four weekly flights between Frankfurt and Atlanta in 1979 to 21 weekly services to three U.S. gateways, Atlanta, Detroit and New York-JFK in June 2024.  In total this summer, Delta will operate 46 weekly flights to the United States from four cities in Germany: Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich and Stuttgart.   

Opening the window to the world

Between November 1991 and 1997, Frankfurt became a Delta hub after the airline acquired Pan Am’s nonstop network from Frankfurt, which included services to Athens, Mumbai, Budapest, New Delhi, Istanbul, Moscow, Prague, St. Petersburg (seasonal), Vienna and Warsaw. By March 1993, Delta operated nonstop flights from Frankfurt to 19 cities across Europe, North America and Western Asia.   

Today, thanks to industry-leading JV partnerships with Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic, Delta now offers customers access to 200+ destinations beyond Paris-CDG, Amsterdam and London Heathrow.   

“Frankfurt was Delta’s second trans-Atlantic destination after London and has remained a key city in our international network ever since, linking Germany’s financial capital with that of America in New York, the home of the motor industry in Detroit, and our hub in Atlanta from where customers can fly to over 200 destinations,” said Matteo Curcio, Delta’s Senior Vice President EMEAI. “It’s fascinating to see that while Delta’s services have evolved, our customer focus has never wavered, always ensuring a thoughtful, consistently high standard of service for the millions of customers who have flown from Frankfurt over the years.”  

History lover and German-born Carla Kronsbein (a DTW-based technical facilitator) shares travel tips about Frankfurt, a charming, yet vibrant city she has cherished since her early days.

An elevated experience

Delta’s first flight to Frankfurt was operated using a three-engine L-1011 TriStar that offered 241 seats across three cabins: First Class, which featured sleeper seats, Medallion Service (Business Class) and Economy Class.    

Today, Delta’s Frankfurt flights are operated using Airbus A330-200 aircraft featuring all four Delta experiences – Delta One, Delta Premium Select, Delta Comfort+ and Main Cabin. Delta One customers enjoy fully flat-bed seats with individual aisle access, while seats in Delta Premium Select offer more space and recline.   

Always innovating 

Delta began visual in-flight entertainment on flights in 1978 (audio entertainment “Words and Music” launched in 1970), with movies projected onto large, shared screens. Today, customers flying on all international routes enjoy 1,000+ hours of complimentary Delta Studio, with entertainment on demand on individual screens at every seat.   

Delta Sync Seatback, currently available on a growing number of domestic U.S. flights, offers best-in-class content and smart TV features designed to feel like streaming services customers have used at home – including remembering where they left off in a movie.  

When Delta’s first Frankfurt flight took off, internet connectivity in the air was an unfathomable concept. Today, Delta customers can always stay connected through free mobile messaging via iMessenger, WhatsApp, and Facebook Messenger. Fast, free Wi-Fi by T-Mobile is available on domestic Delta flights for Sky Miles members and is being installed on international routes.   

Savory sky-high dining 

Customers flying on Delta’s Frankfurt services in 1979 enjoyed complimentary in-flight dining, just as they do today. Delta’s Medallion Service was prepared to deliver an experience to make travelling for business more enjoyable with gourmet entrées served on fine china and accompanied by cocktails, wines and champagne.   

Delta’s ambition to deliver a restaurant-style experience in the sky still remains. Within Delta One, a chef-curated, multi-course dining experience comes paired with sommelier-selected fine wines and is followed by decadent desserts, including Delta’s iconic ice cream sundae. Entrees in Delta One and Delta Premium Select can be pre-selected up to seven days in advance of travel, allowing customers to enjoy a more personalized experience.   

A memorable in-flight experience

Delta's approach to being a step above has been noticeable in its in-flight entertainment, culinary options and style of flight attendant uniforms.

When Delta launched a brand-new look for flight attendant uniforms in June 1979, the “Golden Anniversary Ensemble” celebrated 50 years of scheduled Delta passenger service and was designed by Pat Ashley of Omniform.

As recently as this March, Delta unveiled  protypes of its new uniforms designed by GPS Apparel by Gap Inc.   Anchored in deep navy blues and rich burgundy, with accents of bright red and white – these mark a return to a more classic color palette inspired by Delta’s brand identity and heritage.

When Delta's amenity kits were introduced in April 1978, they featured various self-care products like Michaud shave cream, lotion, and more in a leather pouch.

Delta's amenity kits have amplified luxury and comfort with the airline's brand-new partnership with Missoni for Delta One customers.  The kit features the iconic zig-zag pattern on the interior and exterior, with contents from Grown Alchemist skin care products, a bamboo toothbrush and toothpaste, an eye mask, ear plugs, socks and a pen. 

Delta's long-standing connection to Germany demonstrates the airline's commitment to constant innovation and elevated service for years to come. 

• Routes , Germany

What’s happening in Russia? Kremlin says Wagner chief to leave for Belarus after rebellion

The head of the Wagner mercenary group said his troops were reversing after they had advanced toward Moscow in a widely watched test of Russian President Vladimir Putin's 24-year grip on power .

"We will turn around our columns and leave in the opposite direction to the field camps, according to the plan," Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an audio statement Saturday.

Prigozhin said he was ending his insurrection because the moment arrived when Russian "blood might be shed." After negotiations with Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, Prigozhin said he was halting the rebellion.

Earlier Saturday, Putin pledged "decisive actions" Saturday to halt what he described as a treasonous, armed rebellion by the Wagner group, whose insurrection had threatened to end Putin's 24-year rule. Prigozhin had vowed to "go all the way" to Moscow to topple Russia's military leadership.

The Kremlin later said Prigozhin would not be prosecuted and would leave Russia for Belarus under the deal brokered by Lukashenko, a Putin ally.

The Wagner group is a private military army that's been fighting alongside Russia's regular army in Ukraine, but tensions over how the war has been fought have been building for months.

On Friday, Prigozhin accused Moscow of launching a deadly military strike on his troops. Prigozhin claimed Saturday his forces had crossed into Russia from Ukraine and reached Rostov-on-Don, home to Russia's military headquarters for the southern region that oversees the fighting in Ukraine.

Prigozhin claimed his forces had military facilities in the city under their control, including the air field. Videos posted on social media showed military vehicles, including tanks, on the streets, though the atmosphere appears relatively calm. Putin has appeared to acknowledge that Russia's military has lost control of Rostov-on-Don and there are indications Wagner fighters have moved north to Voronezh, about 320 miles from Moscow.

In his address, which lasted about five minutes, Putin described the mutiny as “a stab in the back of our country and our people.” He vowed to punish those responsible. He did not mention Prigozhin by name. Russia's leader said Prigozhin's actions were a "criminal adventure" and a "grave crime." But by Saturday afternoon, the Kremlin said that Prigozhin would be allowed to live in Belarus and that soldiers that participated in the attempted coup would receive security guarantees and not face prosecution.

Who is Belarus leader Alexander Lukashenko?

Alexander Lukashenko, often described as Europe's last dictator, is the disputed president of Belarus. He has led the country for nearly 29 years.

He began his sixth term in office after an August 2020 election that was widely regarded as fraudulent by Western countries and led hundreds of thousands of Belarusians to take to the streets in protest . Lukashenko is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has supported Russia since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year. 

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya ran against Lukashenko in the 2020, but was forced to flee the country into exile in Europe after Lukashenko insisted he won the election. 

-Miles J. Herszenhorn

Wagner chief Prigozhin to "leave for Belarus," Putin spokesman says

Russian President Vladimir Putin's press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, said in a statement that a criminal case against Wagner Group leader Prigozhin will be dropped and he will "leave for Belarus."

The announcement comes hours after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko brokered a deal with Prigozhin to end his attempted armed rebellion against the Russian government.

Prigozhin said on Saturday that he arrived within 200 kilometers of Moscow before he agreed to turn around and leave for the opposite direction in order to prevent a bloody conflict between his Russian paramilitary organization and the Russian army.

Peskov also said that Wagner soldiers who participated in the armed rebellion would  receive "security guarantees" and not face prosecution.

Zelenskyy taunts Putin in Russian

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy taunted Russian President Vladimir Putin about the failed coup d'état in Russia, during his daily video update about the war in Ukraine.

Speaking in his native Russian, something Zelenskyy has rarely done since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion last year, the Ukrainian president claimed −without offering evidence ∸ that Putin fled Moscow after the start of an armed uprising by the Wagner mercenary group.

"The man from the Kremlin is obviously very afraid and probably hiding somewhere, not showing himself," Zelenskyy said. "I am sure that he is no longer in Moscow."

"He knows what he is afraid of because he himself created this threat," Zelenskyy added.

Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier on Saturday that Putin was in Moscow and working from the Kremlin. 

Zelenskyy also claimed that Ukraine's victory in the war is assured.

"The longer he can run between his bunkers, the more you all will lose," he said. "All of you who are connected with Russia."

Zelenskyy: 'The bosses of Russia do not control anything'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote in a statement on Twitter that today's attempted coup d'état by Prigozhin demonstrates that "the bosses of Russia do not control anything."

Zelenskyy described the internal political situation in Russia as "complete chaos," adding that there is a "complete absence of any predictability."

Zelenskyy also insisted that Ukraine's defense capabilities will not be affected by the crisis in Russia. 

"Ukraine will definitely be able to protect Europe from any Russian forces, and it doesn't matter who commands them," he added. 

Wagner turns on Russia. Is it a coup?

Not according to Prigozhin.

In a Telegram post , he described his group's actions as a "march for justice." He said Putin's comments about a betrayal were "deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our homeland.”

Ukrainian officials declined to comment directly on whether Prigozhin was leading an insurrection against Putin.

However, Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine's top military intelligence official, told Ukrainian TV on Saturday that the conflict between Russia's military leadership and Prigozhin is “a frontal clash of lies and truth.”

Budanov said that since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Prigozhin, whether "you like him or not," has been largely accurately pointing to miscalculations, poor equipment, lack of training, low morale and other problems faced by Russia's regular army, while Russia’s defense ministry tells "mainly lies."

In an intelligence update , Britain’s defense ministry described the apparent rebellion as the most significant challenge to the Russian state in recent times. Though it also noted in a separate update that there was limited evidence of fighting between Wagner and Russian security forces.

“Over the coming hours, the loyalty of Russia’s security forces, and especially the Russian National Guard, will be key to how the crisis plays out,” it said.

Adam Hodge, a spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, said President Joe Biden has been briefed. "We are monitoring the situation and are consulting with allies and partners on these developments."

- Kim Hjelmgaard

What does this mean for Putin?

Prigozhin's actions likely reflect a broader consensus by Russia’s elites that the invasion of Ukraine was a mistake that is weakening their country and that Putin needs to go, said Kurt Volker, the former U.S. ambassador to NATO.

“Bottom line: Putin has left himself no way out. As long as he is in power, he will fight. And that will kill the Russian state. So this means his removal from power becomes inescapable if Russia is to survive as a state,” said Volker, the former U.S. special representative for Ukraine negotiations from 2017 to 2019.

“We still don’t know what mechanisms may arise, but the writing is on the wall,” Volker told USA TODAY. “Going after Prigozhin is a finger in the dike. The bigger picture is the end of Putinism.”

- Josh Meyer

Why chaos in Russia?

U.S. officials observing the chaos unfolding in Russia Saturday have reached few conclusions about the rupture between Putin and Prigozhin. One widely held belief is that Prigozhin won’t survive, said a senior U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity. That leaves open the question of who will lead his brutal band of mercenaries.

Prigozhin’s death would leave his force of tens of thousands of armed men, many conscripted convicts, without a leader. The Russian military leadership has been unable to properly lead and care for its own troops during its 16-month-long invasion of Ukraine, the official said. That makes it unclear how, or even if, Russia could absorb as many as 25,000 Wagner mercenaries.

For the moment, having those mercenaries fighting inside Russia relieves some pressure on Ukraine, the official said. Russia has relied on Wagner forces to do much of its heavy fighting, particularly over the winter and spring near the besieged city of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s east.

- Tom Vanden Brook

What are the origins of the Prigozhin-Russia feud?

Prigozhin was once such a close ally of Russia's leader he earned the nickname "Putin's chef," a reference to the lucrative catering and construction contracts he won with the Kremlin and Russia's defense ministry.

Wagner has worked on behalf of the Russian government in Syria, Libya, across Africa from the Central African Republic to Sudan, and for the last 18 months in Ukraine.

'It's hard, but they're holding on': On the ground in Ukraine, the war depends on U.S. weapons

Prigozhin's relationship with Russia's military has steadily deteriorated amid a grinding battle for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. He's blamed Russian military bureaucracy and incompetence for high casualty rates among Wagner fighters in Bakhmut and his inability to fully capture the city.

In a Telegram post on Saturday, Prigozhin said he had 25,000 Wagners fighters "ready to die" in support of his "march for justice." Moscow has denied striking Wagner forces.

Moscow mayor declares Monday day of no work

With Wagner forces staging an armed rebellion and attempting to make their way to Russia's capital, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin asked most Moscow residents to stay home on Monday.

Sobyanin wrote in a statement that he designated Monday non-work day to "minimize risks." The non-work day will not apply to government and city employees. 

Sobyanin also asked Moscow residents to refrain from traveling in the city on Monday and warned of street closures.

Moscow braces for arrival of Wagner troops

With Wagner mercenary troops headed to Moscow, the government officials took measures to block the roads leading to the city.

Videos showed dozens of large orange trucks parked on major roads in an attempt to prevent the Wagner mercenary group from reaching the Russian capital. 

Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin has declared a counter-terrorism operation was underway in the city and asked residents to stay home and avoid travel.

  -Miles J. Herszenhorn

Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin?

Prigozhin, 61, is the head of the Wagner mercenary group, a paramilitary organization that was supporting the Russian government in its war against Ukraine before Prigozhin apparently turned against Russia's military.

Prigozhin was born in the former Soviet Union and served ten years in prison when he was younger. After he was freed from jail, he ran a hot dog stand before becoming the owner of several fancy restaurants in Saint Petersburg. His restaurants brought Prigozhin into close contact with Putin.

Prigozhin has admitted to being the founder of the Internet Research Agency, a network of companies that interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He was indicted in 2018 by a U.S. grand jury for interfering in American political elections. In 2021, Prigozhin was placed on the FBI’s “most wanted” list.

- Miles Herszenhorn

How large is Wagner group?

The true scale is not known.

In December the U.S. estimated Wagner's total fighting size in Ukraine at 50,000.

But many of its personnel there have since been killed on the battlefield and Prigozhin has appeared to suggest there are now about 25,000 Wagner mercenaries in Ukraine.

It is estimated to have tens of thousands of more mercenaries all over the world fighting on behalf of governments from Syria to the Central African Republic.

- Kim Hjelmgaar d

Governments, conflict-watchers monitoring Russia developments closely

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zekenskyy weighed in with comments posted on his Telegram channel , saying “Russia (has) used propaganda to mask its weakness and the stupidity of its government. And now there is so much chaos that no lie can hide it.” Zelenskyy added that "the longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on our land, the more chaos, pain and problems it will have for itself later."

Here's what some others, in and outside government, are saying on Twitter, Telegram, in emailed newsletters, statements and from other sources:

• China state media : "The Russian Armed Forces have received the necessary order to neutralize those who organized the armed rebellion of the Wagner private military group."
• Charles Michel , European Council president: "This is clearly an internal Russian issue."
• Ramzan Kadyrov , Chechen leader and Putin ally: "I appeal to the fighters, the patriots of our motherland. Don't give in to provocations. Whatever aims you are given, whatever promises are made to you, the safety of our state and cohesion of Russian society are the most important thing right now."
• Alexander S. Vindman , former director of the U.S. national security council and an expert on Ukraine and Russia: "The seizure of the (Rostov-on-Don) SMD HQ and the potential consolidation of control over bases in the area has taken the insurrection into very dangerous territory."
• Phillips P. O'Brien , strategic security expert at the University of St Andrews: "At first this attempt by Prigozhin seemed almost impulsive and bound to fail (and it still might −and probably should if the Russian army stays loyal to Putin). However, what does seem to be the case now is that this is a well-planned operation."
• British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called an emergency national security meeting of the nation's so-called Cobra unit to discuss the unfolding situation in Russia, according to the BBC.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warns Wagner rebellion is attempt to 'seize power.'

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told the state-run outlet RIA Novosti that an armed rebellion staged by Wagner chief Prigozhin is an attempted coup and warned that it could have global repercussions. 

"In the history of mankind, there has never been such a thing that the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons was under the control of bandits," he said. "Such a crisis will obviously not be limited to one country. The world will be brought to the brink of destruction."

Medvedev, a close Putin ally, served as president of Russia from 2008 to 2012. After Putin returned to the presidency in 2012, Medvedev was appointed prime minister. He now currently serves as deputy chairman of Russia's security council. 

"Obviously, this is a well-thought-out and planned operation, the purpose of which is to seize power in the country," he said.

Prigozhin claims Wagner reached Rostov 'without a single shot' fired

Prigozhin claimed in an audio clip published on Telegram that when his mercenaries captured the military headquarters in Rostov-on-Don they did so "without a single shot" being fired.

Prigozhin also claimed that the Wagner mercenaries were welcomed into Rostov by residents of the city.

"There are people on the street who unfurl the flags of the PMC Wagner," Prigozhin said.

Prigozhin's claims could not immediately be verified.

What Zelenskyy is saying about Putin vs. Wagner

Zelenskyy charged that the uprising in Russia is a problem of Putin’s own making and a consequence of his months-long assault on Kyiv.

“For a long time, Russia used propaganda to mask its weakness and the stupidity of its government. And now there is so much chaos that no lie can hide it,” Zelenskyy wrote in a tweet.

Zelenskyy said the Russian leader had humiliated himself by accepting drones from Iran that the U.S. says are being used to attack Ukraine.

“Russia's weakness is obvious. Full-scale weakness,” Zelenskyy said. “And the longer Russia keeps its troops and mercenaries on our land, the more chaos, pain, and problems it will have for itself later.”

- Francesca Chambers

How far is Lipetsk from Moscow?

Around 450 kilometers or 280 miles.

The Wagner forces staging an armed rebellion against Russia’s army have reached the Lipetsk Oblast, a region that is approximately a six hour drive from Moscow.

It is still unclear, however, if the mercenary group will succeed in entering the city of Moscow.

-Miles J. Herszenhor n

Where is Putin now?

His spokesman Dmitry Peskov says he's "working in the Kremlin" in Moscow, according to TASS , a Russia state news agency.

Still, with a powerful paramilitary group just a few hundred miles outside Russia's capital, and apparently quickly advancing, the rumor mill has been in overdrive on social media.

Some Twitters users and media noted, citing the FlightRadar plane tracking service, that Putin's official presidential jet − identification number Il96-300PU − took off from Moscow at 2:16 p.m. local time. The data on FlightRadar do not indicate where his plane went, or whether he's on it.

He's known to have several lavish palaces including a sprawling villa on the Black Sea.

Silenced by poison, bullets, jail: Navalny, Nemtsov and more Putin critics

More: Wagner mercenary group boss threatens to pull paramilitary troops from Bakhmut

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Round   Overall    Name                           Pos.    Ht/Wt          2023-24 Team 

1            1              Macklin Celebrini          C        6-0/197       Boston University 1            11            Sam Dickinson              D        6-3/203       London (OHL) 2            33            Igor Chernyshov           LW      6-3/204       Dynamo Moscow (KHL) 2            53            Leo Sahlin Wallenius    D        6-0/180       Vaxjo Jr. (J20 Nationell) 3            82            Carson Wetsch             RW     6-1/203       Calgary (WHL) 4            116          Christian Kirsch             G        6-3/174       Zug Jr. (Swiss Jr.) 5            131          Colton Roberts              D        6-4/204       Vancouver (WHL) 5            143          Nate Misskey                D        6-4/210       Victoria (WHL) 7            194          Yaroslav Korostelyov    G        6-1/161       St. Petersburg (MHL)

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Year After Failed Mutiny, Russia Tightens Grip on Wagner Units in Africa

Moscow has largely taken over the African operations of the paramilitary group, once led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was killed after leading an insurrection against Vladimir Putin.

By Elian Peltier

Elian Peltier, who is based in Dakar, Senegal, has traveled within the past year to Burkina Faso and Niger to report this article.

For years, Russia covertly propped up authoritarian leaders, exploited natural resources and fought extremists in a number of African countries.

Russia worked through the Wagner group, a shadowy web of political advisers, entrepreneurs and mercenaries. But it never revealed how closely it was controlling Wagner’s activities around the world, maintaining a distance as numerous accusations of human rights abuses were leveled against the group’s operatives on the ground.

Wagner was led by Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, a ruthless tycoon who was once a close ally of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. But after Mr. Prigozhin led a short-lived mutiny against Mr. Putin in June last year, Mr. Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash .

Since then, Russia has been carving up Wagner’s assets and redistributing them to branches of the Kremlin, according to interviews with a dozen diplomats and military and intelligence officials from Western countries, Russia and Ukraine. The Russian Ministry of Defense has taken control of Wagner’s mercenary arm in Africa and placed it under a bigger umbrella group, Africa Corps. Russia’s defense and foreign ministries did not respond to a request for comment.

Here is what’s to know about Africa Corps.

Where is Africa Corps deployed?

A few hundred instructors from Africa Corps first arrived in Burkina Faso, in West Africa, late last year, according to Western officials and the group’s channel on the Telegram messaging app, which diplomats, analysts and Russian news outlets have considered a credible source on the group.

Since April, about 100 instructors from the organization have been deployed in Niger to train its military, a task that until recently had been led by the United States and European countries. A week later, the United States announced that it would withdraw about one thousand military personnel from Niger.

Because Africa Corps is directly affiliated with Russia’s government, it “looks more legitimate to African governments,” said Sergey Eledinov, a security analyst and former representative of a Russian private military company working in Africa.

Russia has also provided weapons to the two countries, where military juntas are struggling to contain jihadist insurgents in the Sahel, a semiarid region that extends through both nations.

Mercenaries from Africa Corps have also been deployed in Libya, which Russia has long used as a logistical hub for military deployments in sub-Saharan Africa. Wagner’s mercenary activities there have been subsumed into Africa Corps, according to a European military official and a State Department official.

Is Africa Corps replacing Wagner?

About half of Africa Corps’ recruits are Wagner veterans, it said on its Telegram channel. And the jobs are similar: Africa Corps needs bodyguards, ground troops, drone operators and “electronic warfare specialists,” according to advertisements from the group.

But Africa Corps acts as an umbrella for Russia’s paramilitary activities on the continent — not just those of Wagner, but also of other private military companies. The mercenaries deployed in Burkina Faso are from a new structure called Bear , for instance.

“There’s some sort of competition among these companies,” said Oleksandr V. Danylyuk, a former special adviser to the head of Ukraine’s foreign intelligence service.

Russia’s military intelligence agency, known as the G.R.U., oversees Africa Corps’ operations, according to the State Department.

“The goal is the same: Establish control in several African countries,” added Mr. Danylyuk, who co-wrote a recent report on Russia’s military activities beyond Ukraine.

The name Africa Corps is reminiscent of Afrika Korps, the expeditionary force deployed by the Nazis in Africa during World War II. The Wagner group also bore a Nazi reference: It was named after the German composer Richard Wagner, one of Hitler’s favorites.

Wagner hasn’t disappeared altogether: Some of its operatives remain in the Central African Republic and Mali. Their close ties with local military, political and economic circles have made them hard to dislodge or too useful for Russia to get rid of, Western diplomats and analysts say.

A new propaganda outlet, African Initiative, has also been created to promote the growing ties between Russia and African countries. It is supported by Russia’s intelligence services, according to the U.S. State Department.

What does Russia want in Africa?

In short, Russia wants geopolitical clout and access to natural resources. But African leaders have a lot of suitors: not just Russia, China, the United States and European countries, but also Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, among others.

Mercenaries and disinformation specialists from Wagner have played a key role in weakening Western interests on the continent and replacing European and U.S. troops, as well as United Nations peacekeepers, in several countries.

Those developments have alarmed U.S. officials.

“The Russian Federation is really trying to take over Central Africa, as well as the Sahel,” Gen. Michael E. Langley, head of the U.S. military’s Africa Command, told Congress in March.

Russia has argued that it is championing a new multipolar world order that will help African countries bolster their sovereignty. But Russia is also seeking to grow its number of allies: Many African countries abstained from condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, or even supported it, during votes at the United Nations.

Russia has signed military cooperation agreements with 43 African countries since 2015, according to the European Parliament . Russia was also the largest supplier of weapons to Africa between 2018 and 2022, accounting for 40 percent of the continent’s weapons imports .

Wagner operatives have exploited gold mines in the Central African Republic and Sudan . Russian mining companies export diamonds from Angola and Zimbabwe, and bauxite from Guinea , among others.

Russia has also increasingly been promoting a more classic state-to-state relationship.

The arrival of Africa Corps instructors in Burkina Faso late last year, for instance, followed a meeting between Mr. Putin and the country’s leader, Capt. Ibrahim Traoré, last summer. Russia has also reopened an embassy there.

Russia has also promised to help Burkina Faso and Mali develop their nuclear sectors and to take in more African students at a time when Europe is trying to keep migrants away.

“Our friend Lavrov is back!” a newspaper in Burkina Faso recently wrote as Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei V. Lavrov, visited — one of at least a dozen African countries he has traveled to since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Mr. Lavrov promised Burkina Faso more military supplies and instructors.

“Western influence in a number of African countries has been reduced,” Africa Corps wrote on its official Telegram channel last year. “A ‘window of opportunity’ has opened for the realization of our geopolitical interests.”

What do West Africans say?

The West African leaders who have sought closer partnerships with Russia want personal protection, soldiers and weapons to fight rebels and Islamist insurgents affiliated with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Some civil society activists, civilians and local politicians in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso interviewed over the past year say that Russia is delivering.

“This partnership with Russia is going to help us end this war on terror,” said Boureima Ouédraogo, a pro-Russian civil society activist from Burkina Faso. “Our soldiers have no fear anymore.”

But just as African militaries have been unable to defeat the insurgents despite the American and European support, they have also had limited successes with their Russian partners, security experts say.

And abuses against civilians have soared in the years since these militaries have called in Russian instructors, with Wagner mercenaries accused of mass killings and torture in Mali and rape and other crimes in the Central African Republic .

Soumaila Lah, a Mali-based security analyst, said that those living in large cities favored Russia’s presence as necessary. “But in the remote areas where mercenaries operate, local populations are noticing the cases of torture, the arbitrary arrests and the assassinations,” Mr. Lah added.

“In those places, they don’t want them anymore.”

Eric Schmitt contributed reporting.

Elian Peltier is The Times’ West Africa correspondent, based in Dakar, Senegal. More about Elian Peltier