Yevgeny Prigozhin accused the Russian military of attacking his private forces, shortly after he released a scathing video that described the invasion of Ukraine as a “racket” meant to enrich Russia’s corrupt elite.
Prigozhin, who leads the Wagner private military company, accused the Russian minister of defense, Sergei Shoigu, of sending missiles and helicopters to attack camps in Ukraine, where his fighters were bivouacked. He said that some Wagner fighters had died.
“The evil carried by the country’s military leadership must be stopped,” Prigozhin said. Russian law enforcement immediately accused him of fomenting an “armed rebellion.”
For months, the feud between Prigozhin and Russia’s military leadership has hampered the war effort, but these new accusations took the conflict to a new level. Never before had Prigozhin accused military leaders of attacking his forces, nor had asserted in such stark terms that the Kremlin’s stated justification for the war was nonsense.
Elsewhere on the front line, it’s finally showtime for the nine Ukrainian brigades that have been armed, equipped and trained by the U.S. and its NATO allies. They are beginning to enter the fight and their performance could determine the counteroffensive’s success.
The fall of Roe, one year later
Tomorrow will be one year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a decision that changed the country’s patchwork of abortion access, and whole communities with it. Since Roe fell, 20 states have enacted laws banning or restricting abortion.
As some clinic owners canceled appointments and helped patients travel elsewhere, others relocated or stayed open to provide the services they still could. Many simply closed, leaving behind empty buildings.
For the first time, polls show that a majority of Americans say abortion is “morally acceptable” and that laws are too strict. We are tracking the states where abortion is banned.
The Texas heat wave is not letting up
Forecasters expect the unrelenting heat scorching Texas to last until at least early July, with record-breaking temperatures spreading to nearby states this weekend. More than 33 million people are expected to experience dangerous heat. Take a look at our heat tracker to see which areas will be most affected.
Despite the brutal heat, the lights and air conditioning have stayed on across Texas, largely because of the state’s unlikely new ally: solar power.
Why some Americans buy guns
During the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020, when protesters flooded the streets and economic uncertainty and isolation deepened, Americans shopped for guns. Social scientists are now beginning to understand what motived these purchases.
Researchers are increasingly focusing on the idea that armed people are more likely to perceive others as armed, and to respond as though they are threatened.
More top news
Submersible: An expert had raised safety concerns after a trip on board the Titan submersible in 2019, when he heard loud cracking noises.
Immigration: The Supreme Court revived enforcement guidelines by the Biden administration that had set priorities for deciding which immigrants should be arrested and detained.
Labor: Workers at more than 150 Starbucks stores plan to strike after their union said managers told them not to decorate for Pride Month.
India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Washington helped him build an image at home of a leader who can win respect for his vast nation.
Crypto: The collapse of the industry offers a window into how middlemen introduced celebrities like Katy Perry to Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX.
Drugs: Four China-based companies and eight Chinese nationals have been charged with trafficking chemicals used by Mexican cartels to manufacture fentanyl later sold in the U.S.
Safety: About 7.5 million Baby Shark bath toys are being recalled after reports that at least a dozen children were injured by them.
New York: A Rikers Island corrections officer falsified records to show that scores of her peers had taken a suicide prevention course.
EVENING WIND DOWN
In ‘Asteroid City,’ Wes Anderson goes meta
Wes Anderson’s latest film, which opened in theaters today, is partly set in 1955 in a fictional town in the Southwest. “Asteroid City” uses a television show about a theatrical play to tell the story of a small town commemorating the day a meteor crashed nearby.
Driven by an all-star cast, it’s comical and often wry, but like some of Anderson’s other films, it has the soul of a tragedy.
Take a look: The director narrates a sequence from the film, featuring the actor Jeffrey Wright.
For more: Meet Anderson’s secret weapon: Sanjay Sami, the grip who gives his movies their distinctive look and feel.
Honoring a journey of grief and grace
The new International African American Museum, which is set in a former slave port and opens next week in Charleston, S.C., was clearly conceived as a tribute to victims of the torturous Atlantic Ocean crossing known as the Middle Passage, and specifically to those who arrived, dead or alive, at this very spot.
But the museum is about more than slavery, our critic Holland Cotter writes. It’s about the arrival of a population that, through unthinkable adversity and creative perseverance, utterly transformed what “America” meant, and means.
Dinner table topics
Barbie’s Dreamhouse: Take a stop-motion journey inside the many pink versions of the iconic doll’s home over six decades. It’s called a Dreamhouse for a reason.
Miracle drugs: We may be on the cusp of an era of astonishing innovation in medicine, including game-changing vaccines for some of the world’s most intractable infectious diseases.
Sheldon Harnick: The man who put words to “Fiddler on the Roof” and “She Loves Me” explored the complex emotional architecture of love. He died today at 99.
Drag queen luggage: Sasha Colby, the most recent winner of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” serves frequent-flier realness about traveling as a transgender woman.
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEKEND
Cook: Raw mentaiko adds a savory, briny complexity to this Japanese potato salad.
Watch: “I’m a Virgo,” Boots Riley’s surreal satire about a teenage giant, debuts on Amazon Prime Video today.
Listen: “Génesis,” a new album from Peso Pluma, brings regional Mexican music to a broader audience.
Read: Susan Sontag’s writings and the roots of the Black working class are featured in our selection of newly published works.
Walk: Turn your weekend stroll into a microadventure. You don’t need to go far for a little novelty.
Notice: What are “normal” levels of anxiety? Here are some signs to look out for when considering how much is too much.
Invest: Whether you’re in retirement or saving for a house, lower-risk investments are worth a close look.
Compete: Take our weekly news quiz to see how you stack up with other Times readers.
Play: Today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. For more, find all of our games here.
ONE LAST THING
Join the party inside this giant disco ball
There’s a 50-ton suspended music hall at the Shed, a cultural center in Manhattan, that has been likened to Epcot and the Death Star.
It’s called the Sonic Sphere, and it aims for a new kind of listening experience — one that surrounds the audience with 124 meticulously arranged speakers and an array of lights that change color with the music.
Have a glittery weekend.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back on Monday. — Justin
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You can reach our team at briefing@nytimes.com.