The march on the capital by Wagner troops led by Yevgeny Prigozhin and the late-night deal that eventually halted it severely dented Putin’s reputation as a leader who is willing to ruthlessly punish anyone who challenges his authority.

Some see Putin’s failure to squelch the infighting as a sign of potential shifts in Russia’s political scene that set the stage for more internal battles.

Ukrainian officials say at least 6 people are dead after Russian forces fired cruise missiles at the southern city of Odesa and shelled homes in the eastern Donetsk region.