I have read that Putin has had a face-to-face sit down meeting with Prigozhin within the last 10 days. Also, Wagner was used to skirt the law against Russia, invading other countries and giving them plausible deniability. However, with the SMO 90% complete the need for Wagner and the legality of using Wagner would soon render them useless. After being disbanded 7/1/2023 Wagner fighters who wish to could sign a contract and be given positions within the Russian military.
Maybe they seen this as a perfect opportunity to use them within Russia, to perform a massive psyop and subversion campaign before being disbanded next month.
Maybe Prigozhin got a taste of the power/fame he acquired during Bahkmut and couldn’t imagine signing that power and his men over to the Russian military, who he openly berated for what some say, our personal grudges. Before Wagner, he was a cook. If Wagner became part of Russian forces, he would be out of a job and irrelevant. I believe since he got away with publicly shaming the Russian Military etc in Bahkmut that he believed he could pull this little stunt and actually get the defense minister removed and get away with it.
He made a video this morning, responding to Putin, where he is completely downplaying what he has done and making it seem like it is a fucking parade, and not a insurrection.
That's a reasonable analysis, except for one caveat. Prigozhin wouldn't be out of a job because he named Dmitry Utkin as director general of Prigozhin's Concord Management. In November 2016 the company confirmed to Russian media that the same Dmitry Utkin leading the Wagner Group was now in charge of Prigozhin's food businesses.
It appears Prigozhin has his fingers in several businesses.
He made a video this morning, responding to Putin, where he is completely downplaying what he has done and making it seem like it is a fucking parade, and not a insurrection.
At this point, I don't think Putin has any choice.
Either Prigozhin dies in conflict, or he is arrested, put on trial, and executed for treason.
Any other option and Putin loses some power in the eyes of the military and the people of Russia.
This looks more like troop movement cloaked under some planned psyop thing. The southern front appears to be under control, move wagner up (law of war: appear weak when you are strong), and prepare for the next front push
I have read that Putin has had a face-to-face sit down meeting with Prigozhin within the last 10 days. Also, Wagner was used to skirt the law against Russia, invading other countries and giving them plausible deniability. However, with the SMO 90% complete the need for Wagner and the legality of using Wagner would soon render them useless. After being disbanded 7/1/2023 Wagner fighters who wish to could sign a contract and be given positions within the Russian military.
Maybe they seen this as a perfect opportunity to use them within Russia, to perform a massive psyop and subversion campaign before being disbanded next month.
Maybe Prigozhin got a taste of the power/fame he acquired during Bahkmut and couldn’t imagine signing that power and his men over to the Russian military, who he openly berated for what some say, our personal grudges. Before Wagner, he was a cook. If Wagner became part of Russian forces, he would be out of a job and irrelevant. I believe since he got away with publicly shaming the Russian Military etc in Bahkmut that he believed he could pull this little stunt and actually get the defense minister removed and get away with it.
He made a video this morning, responding to Putin, where he is completely downplaying what he has done and making it seem like it is a fucking parade, and not a insurrection.
That's a reasonable analysis, except for one caveat. Prigozhin wouldn't be out of a job because he named Dmitry Utkin as director general of Prigozhin's Concord Management. In November 2016 the company confirmed to Russian media that the same Dmitry Utkin leading the Wagner Group was now in charge of Prigozhin's food businesses.
It appears Prigozhin has his fingers in several businesses.
At this point, I don't think Putin has any choice.
Either Prigozhin dies in conflict, or he is arrested, put on trial, and executed for treason.
Any other option and Putin loses some power in the eyes of the military and the people of Russia.
This looks more like troop movement cloaked under some planned psyop thing. The southern front appears to be under control, move wagner up (law of war: appear weak when you are strong), and prepare for the next front push