Exiled Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has released an audio message for the first time since abandoning a march to Moscow.

In the recording, he defended his so-called “march for justice”, which was launched amid claims that 30 Wagner troops had been killed in a rocket attack ordered by Russian military leaders.

Explaining why the march was abandoned, Prigozhin said he did not want to shed Russian blood – and insisted that he had no intention of overthrowing the government.

He added: “We have shown the level of organisation that an army must meet.”

Prigozhin also insisted that he is still receiving words of support from civilians – and some of his fighters were greeted with flags.

“They were all happy when we passed by. Many of them still write words of support, and some are disappointed that we stopped,” he said.