American intelligence knew about Prigozhin's revolt and warned the leaders. But even Putin was informed, he did not reveal it "24 hours before".
American intelligence agencies have noticed signs some time ago that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, had the intention of going against the Russian leadership from the middle of June, the American daily Washington Post reported.
Another American newspaper, the New York Times, said that the information was both solid and alarming.
Late on Friday, Prigozhin's forces left their camps in Ukraine and crossed into Russia, taking control of the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, and then headed for Moscow.
Suddenly, the advance was suspended on Saturday afternoon, and Russian media said Wagner's troops would return to Ukraine, while Prigozhin would flee to neighboring Belarus.
The Kremlin has said it will not prosecute Prigozhin or Wagner's armed members.
The Times has said that as US intelligence officials have discovered that Prigozhin has been preparing for military action, they have expressed concern about the chaos that could occur in Russia, a state with a powerful nuclear arsenal.
The Kremlin — according to American records, was aware of the danger and had received information in advance about Prigozhin's threat. At the moment it is not clear why he did not react immediately to block the rebellion.
The ease with which Prigozhin took command of Rostov is surprising. There are hypotheses on contrasts within the hierarchies and problems of Russian security. The delay in the response leaves room for those who believe in conspiracy theories about the dramatic events in Moscow.
The rebels advanced without any sign of resistance, a sign that does not exclude the support of some sectors of the Russian armed forces. Maybe not involved and cooperative, but willing to let things go. A classic coup.
What happened in the last 48 hours in Moscow is difficult to explain at all points.
Moreover, there is always the problem of examining the dynamics of regimes: they have their own characteristics, mechanisms, secrets and rules of survival that are difficult to fully understand. Experts are based on history, on precedents, on analysis, yet there remain dark corners and personal aspects that only those who are actually in the magic circle can discover.