MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday briefed Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on the situation in Russia, according to a message posted on the Belarusian presidency’s official Telegram channel.

Putin has vowed to crush what he calls an armed mutiny after rebellious mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said he had taken control of a southern city as part of an attempt to oust the military leadership.

Russian mercenary boss Prigozhin in standoff with Russian army amid ‘armed mutiny’