As a reminder, anyone wishing to comment must have donated at least $5 within the preceding 60 days. Anyone else can take a hike. Thank you.
Wagner chief Prigozhyn, facing reduced public exposure, reduced funding, and possible total subjugation to Defense Ministry, and evidently planning a coup for weeks at least, takes some (not large) fraction of his forces that were in Lugansk, supposed to be preparing a Kharkov offensive, and launches insurrection against Russian government, aims to replace Putin and run the country as a “caudillo” with an extremely vague populist anticorruption platform (of course, he has no support and the entire country would collapse in bloody anarchy.) His recent lunatic statements about Ukrainian deep advances in Zaporozhie can now be seen in context of intending to launch coup during a military collapse. The collapse didn’t happen, but he acted anyway. Wagner now occupying Rostov (site of Russian military southern command) and moving on Moscow in reportedly four separate columns with strong air defense incl. Pantzir systems. 3 or 4 Russian heli’s (crews apparently survived) and possibly one transport aircraft already shot down. Large-scale road closures and uncertainty could doom the front to munitions starvation within potentially days if situation not resolved. Use of tactical nuclear weapons on roads leading to Moscow is possible.
Posted in Your UN-fake News Source
Prigozhyn seemingly went a bit loopy from the stress of the Bakmut fighting, but I can’t believe that Putin et al did not know what was going to happen. Nearly all officers in Wagner did not participate, but most of them must have known what Prigozhyn was up to, and I cannot believe that some, at least, did not pass this on to Russian security (likewise for many of the grunts who did not participate). Clearing the M4 for a free fire zone needed some planning. So did getting the thousands of Chechens to Rostov so quickly. Prigozhyn played into Putin’s hands, and was castrated (in a political sense)
“”I cannot believe that…..””
It doesn’t matter what you can or can’t believe, because you don’t know anything.
There were no “thousands” of Chechens getting to Rostov, it was some hundreds, and they were pulled off border guard duty in Belgorod, a real sign of desperation.
The reply function doesn’t work. @Randolorian: ”…an attempt to ferret out more traitors?” Indeed. I do have this impression too. Remember the meeting of the Chinese delegation with the Russians? Both the Russians and the Chinese, except for the two leaders, had masks on. This was not about kow-roona, this was on the symbolic level that both states have not yet succeeded in arresting/eliminating all the traitors aka ‘viruses’. This conclusion seems a little bit weird? Not for a shrink.
Hello. This is way off topic, but, I’ll respond. Sorry, you are SEVERELY overthinking things. Those two precious leaders don’t wear masks, because everyone who is allowed within 15 or 20 meters of them, is constantly “tested” (like, every day.) The staff, on the other hand, while tested, wear masks as an extra precaution to protect the leaders. And, no one who is watching them on TV, thinks twice about that, because only the leaders’ faces matter.
Thanks very much for all the money, please keep it coming.
Some speculation discusses whether Prigozhin was bought off by MI6 or western ‘operatives’ particularly as the plan to force a coup in the Russian government was so aligned with western hopes. ???
Hello. No chance of that. Prigozhyn wanted to rule, or be the kingpin, at least.
Anyway, he is already worth hundreds of millions of dollars, at least. “They” would have to promise him a lot more than would fit in a few suitcases.
I was always puzzled why the Russians would use “private” militias vs “regulars” for any operation. Their very existence even seem strange. And then to think they were doing the dirty work in urban areas. What did the regular army think of this? We don’t have an analog in the west, do we???
Alternatively if it’s wwf type stuff – lot of showmanship- maybe prghozhin just surrenders control in rf of his troops and an off-his-meds moment forgotten
Apparently this entire “coup” has been terminated?? Bizarre! Can u confirm that those aircraft were shot down? This smells like CIA/MI6 doo doo.
Breaking news: Wagner seems to have reached an agreement after negotiation with the Russian gov’t side, represented or mediated by Lukashenko. There is a press statement from the Belarussian gov’t and a statement by Prigozhin. To sum up the content of both, both sides came to an understanding about the unacceptability of spilling Russian blood on Russian soil. Prigozhin agrees to stop the movement of his troops across Russian territory. Wagner is now turning back its columns of materiel and personnel, and heading to its field bases in the opposite direction. In return they are guaranteed their freedom and safety, and it appears that a further condition is certain “personnel changes” in the Russian MoD (waiting for further official comments or announcements on that front). Videos now present of Wagner fighters packing up and getting ready to leave Rostov-on-Don. Videos showing defensive positions set up on the outskirts of Moscow and barricades elsewhere along the highways look a little thin and flimsy. The whole thing started and ended too suddenly (notwithstanding earlier developments concerning the MoD’s decree to bring the PMC under their official jurisdiction and Prigozhin’s potential loss of power). I’m still holding out on the possibility that this was a crazy optical stunt by the Russian gov’t, though I can’t imagine what it would achieve. Why would Putin publicly broadcast a televised speech decrying Prigozhin as a traitor (though not mentioning him by name, which is still perfectly in style), and then negotiate with him? I’ve been living in this country most of my life now and I can’t for the life of me make heads or tails of any of this.
And just like that it’s done? CNN says Lukashenko saved the day. Was this even real or was this an attempt to ferret out more traitors?
Despite the fact that the world is ending you can’t say it wasn’t entertaining!
So it looks like they have all turned around and are going back to the external war because Lukashenko asked them nicely. Guess we will see what happens. Not sure how this compares to January 6.
Do you really think it is possible that Putin would want to use “tactical” nuclear weapons on Wagner on roads leading to Moscow? I doubt that myself. Tactical nuclear weapons are not the huge megaton bombs that would be used against….well….us if it ever came to that. But exploding nukes on Russian soil would have nasty repercussions on Russian civilians in that area. Depending on which way the winds are blowing it could even cause problems with fallout in Moscow and other smaller cities. I admit though that I don’t have the sources that you have for information, or intel.
Hello. Today, Putin either stays in power, or he goes to jail, or is killed. Of course, he will do anything to protect himself. I would, you would.
As for radiation, small tactical nuke explosions don’t leave any meaningful residual fallout. The risk would be if you were right there, just outside the blast zone, when it happened.
Astonishing. Greatest betrayal since Yeltsin walked the earth.
Didn’t see this coming (despite his strange behavior lately) and couldn’t have happened at a worse time. Greatest betrayal since the reptile Yeltsin.
Well I guess this is a precautionary tale of “Beware of the monsters you create.”
Prighozhin will soon be staring at a firing squad, imho. There’s no way Putin can let this continue. There’s some similarity here to Benedict Arnold’s treason- the continental congress paid Washington and his troops but not Arnold’s. Arnold was Washington’s rival (arguably a better general) but prickly and not politically astute as he made enemies easily. I mean, Arnold led a force overland through unmapped territory and conquered Quebec- the British garrison was overwhelmed but Arnold soon found zero interest from the population to join the revolution. Hopefully the Russians get their hands on prighozhin before he takes the next step and joins up with the Ukrainians.
Thanks, Jacob — good and timely, as the Grayzone, or fog of new media, is rampant. The Duran did a special analysis early this am, but I always wait for your insights. This time, President Putin can’t douse this fire easily — Prigozhin has sealed the deal.
Thanks for much needed take on events. Uprising doomed to failure unable to resupply and out in the open.? Russian public response not unusual given history of Soviet Union.
I imagine that this weird episode will be brought to a conclusion fairly quickly ( 2-3 days ) but it is a monumental PR disaster for Russia .
I can understand one crazed billionaire. What I can’t understand is anyone following him – thinking that this has any chance of success. They may have air defense systems, but in general where would they get ammunition and fuel if not from the Russian state.