How one of Putin’s most trusted allies became the biggest challenge to his authority

THAT HELPED RUSSIA FIGHT ITS WAR WITH UKRAINE BEFORE ITS ROGUE LEADER LAUNCHED A REBELLION. RICHARD ENGEL HAS A SPECIAL ON THE RISE AND FALL OF THE WAGNER GROUP. ♪♪ >> Reporter: RUSSIA MAY LOOK LIKE THIS, BUT THOSE WHO KNOW IT WELL SAY UNDER PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN, IT'S BECOME A MAFIA, ARMED WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS, AND ON JUNE 24th, PUTIN FACED THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE TO HIS AUTHORITY IN HIS MORE THAN TWO DECADES IN POWER. A MEMBER OF HIS TRUSTED INNER CIRCLE DARED TO REVOLT AND MARCHED HIS ARMY OF MERCENARIES INTO RUSSIA. >> THERE WAS A MUTINY AGAINST VLADIMIR PUTIN'S ARMED FORCES. >> Reporter: VLADIMIR PUTIN WAS RATTLED AND SEEMED TO BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD. >> PRIGOZHIN IS ENTIRELY A CREATURE OF VLADIMIR PUTIN. HE DOES NOT EXIST WITHOUT PUTIN. THIS IS A FRANKENSTEIN-LIKE SCENARIO. >> Reporter: I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING PRIGOZHIN'S EXTRAORDINARY RISE FOR YEARS AND SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW THE ONE-TIME PETTY THIEF BUILT A CRIMINAL ENPYRE IN SYRIA, AFRICA, RUSSIA, AND UKRAINE, MAKING HIM POWERFUL ENOUGH TO CHALLENGE THE BOSS. >> IT'S LIKE A THRILLER, SO WE KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE TO COME. IT'S TO BE CONTINUED. >> Reporter: IT SEEMS PRESIDENT PUTIN UNDERESTIMATED

Channel: NBC News

Views: 70,352

Keywords: Health, International News, Lester Holt, Making A Difference, NBC Nightly News, National News, News, Nightly News, U.S. News, breaking news, evening news, politics, world news

Id: tjc22wH8ntc

Length: 1min 34sec (94 seconds)

Published: Sat Jul 08 2023