5 people injured in Ukrainian capital, 3 civilians killed elsewhere; 21 Russian cities cancel military parades for Victory Day citing 'security concerns' or 'current situation'

Top US diplomat says Russian mercenary outfit, which is active in several African states, 'simply brings more death and destruction with it'

Neighboring nations see spillover risk; Dagalo thought to have been well-paid for helping Gulf nations fight Iran-backed Yemen rebels as Russia's Wagner Group makes Africa inroads

Ukrainian military reports Moscow sending 'best trained' Wagner Group troops to conquer eastern industrial city, but invaders' advance remains slow in war's longest-running battle

Yevgeny Prigozhin says he formed organization in 2014 to send fighters to Ukraine's Donbas, hails the mercenaries accused of atrocities as 'heroes who defended the Syrian people'

Prisoner rights group says at least 1,500 have taken up offer that comes with promises of big salaries and a pardon, but many quickly want to back out of deal

Yevgeny Prigozhin, identified by the US as oligarch financier of the shadowy Wagner Group, says Western nations are 'an endangered bunch of perverts'

Said by the US to be financed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, an oligarch of partial Jewish descent who is under US sanctions, the gunmen carry out military ops in many African countries

Der Spiegel says audio files correlate to specific victims in Ukrainian town, and provide evidence that mercenaries from notorious Wagner Group were involved in atrocities

Among new entities targeted are oil tycoon Eugene Shvidler, Russian FM's stepdaughter, and Moscow-installed 'mayor' of Melitopol - for 'collaborating' with invaders