President Vladimir Putin has faced a major challenge to his grip on power after an “armed insurrection” by a Russian mercenary force angry over the bloody war in Ukraine.

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin ordered his private army to march on Moscow as he accused the Russian Defence Ministry of killing his fighters in an air strike and lying about the need for the invasion.

The Wagner forces are responsible for some of the bloodiest battles in Ukraine and the chief, Mr Prigozhin, has feuded for months with the Russian military top brass.

Mr Prigozhin said the “march for justice” was to remove corrupt and incompetent Russian commanders he blames for botching the war.

He said his convoy was within 200km of the capital on Saturday, having captured the city of Rostov and the headquarters of Russia’s Southern Military District.

Rostov, with a population of 1 million near the border with Ukraine, serves as the main rear logistical hub for Russia’s entire invasion force in Ukraine.

A Reuters journalist saw Russian army helicopters open fire at the Wagner convoy as it advanced past the city of Voronezh.

But on Sunday (AEDT), Mr Prigozhin ordered a halt and Wagner mercenaries turned back from Moscow to avoid bloodshed.

In an audio message, Mr Prigozhin agreed to de-escalate and said the fighters would return to their field camps.

Earlier, as the force inched forward on the 1100km journey, authorities in Moscow and the surrounding area declared a counterterrorism state of emergency.

Soldiers were deployed as security was tightened in Moscow and residents told to limit their movements.

The de-escalation was brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, his office said, and took place with Mr Putin’s agreement.

“Prigozhin has agreed to stop the march towards Moscow and take further steps to de-escalate the situation,” said the statement.

Part of the agreement was Mr Prigozhin would leave for Belarus and charges against him and his Wagner forces would be dropped, Russian state media reported on Sunday morning (AEDT).

Putin vows punishment

In a televised address from the Kremlin, Mr Putin described the actions of the mutineers as a “stab in the back”.

“All those who prepared the rebellion will suffer inevitable punishment,” he said.

Mr Putin said “excessive ambitions and vested interests” had led to “treason”.

“It is a blow to Russia, to our people. And our actions to defend the Fatherland against such a threat will be harsh.

“All those who deliberately stepped on the path of betrayal, who prepared an armed insurrection, who took the path of blackmail and terrorist methods, will suffer inevitable punishment, will answer both to the law and to our people.”

He urged “those who are being dragged into this crime not to make a fatal and tragic, unique mistake, to make the only right choice — to stop participating in criminal acts.”

Mr Putin went on to condemn the rebellion at a time when Russia was “fighting the toughest battle for its future” with its war in Ukraine.

“The entire military, economic and information machine of the West is waged against us,” he said.

“This battle, when the fate of our people is being decided, requires the unification of all forces, unity, consolidation and responsibility.”

Mr Putin later signed a law tightening rules for breaking martial law in places where it has been imposed, the RIA news agency said.

The Wagner march was Russia’s first armed insurrection since the Chechen wars 20 years ago.

Russia’s defence ministry said Wagner fighters were “tricked into the criminal adventure and armed rebellion” by Mr Prigozhin.

In a statement carried on state-run media, the ministry said many Wagner members “had already realised their mistake” and now wanted assistance from the authorities to be able to “return safely” to their permanent bases.

Moscow’s counterterrorism state of emergency allows the Russian authorities to increase controls and facilitate the arrest of citizens.

Telephone calls can also be tapped more frequently. However, it was initially unclear what concrete measures were to be taken in Moscow and Voronezh.

Earlier on Saturday, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin had already announced “anti-terror measures.”

In the Russian capital, a city of more than 13 million citizens, increased traffic checks had already been introduced on the streets. During the night, military vehicles were also on the road in the city centre.

-with AAP

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