The Latest Breaking News from St Petersburg

Speculation grows that Wagner chief’s plane was downed by bomb after it took off from Moscow

Former convict, catering impresario and ally of Vladimir Putin became increasingly vocal critic of Kremlin’s defence chiefs during war in Ukraine

Joe Biden ‘not surprised’ by apparent death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner founder, in plane crash, while Kremlin and Russian president stay silent

Russian president says former head of Wagner made ‘serious mistakes’. This live blog is now closed

Former convict, catering impresario and ally of Vladimir Putin became increasingly vocal critic of Kremlin’s defence chiefs during war in Ukraine

Russia’s announces crash of a private plane travelling between Moscow and St Petersburg killing all 10 passengers.

The former jail convict and ally of Vladimir Putin became an increasingly vocal critic of the Kremlin’s defence chiefs during the war in Ukraine

The cynicism of Vladimir Putin knows no bounds, said The Sunday Times. Having abandoned the UN-brokered grain deal that ensured safe passage for Ukraine’s crops to markets, despite warnings that it could cause “hunger or worse” in low-income African nations, the Russian president last week had the nerve to pose…

Putin pledges to supply Africa with grain, promotes joint fight against ‘neocolonialism’ during Russia-Africa summit.

The second Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg on July 27 and 28 was predictably overshadowed by the war in Ukraine – and especially Russia’s refusal to agree an extension of the Black Sea grain deal, which expired earlier in the month.

Mercenary chief was said to have agreed to resettle in Belarus after June’s dramatic attempted uprising, but now appears to be in St Petersburg attending the Russia-Africa Summit