I posted this comment in another thread (hope it’s OK to link).
TL;DR Putin has a track record of using bizarre public “emergencies”* to progress what he wants, maybe this is another one.
*e.g. Moscow theatre gassing, Beslan school massacre
I don’t think so - it made him look incredibly weak. Prigozhin getting as far as he did is just awful for him. That he had to negotiate at all. His speech yesterday was just a nothing burger - he didn’t even name Prigozhin, just alluded to him.
Honestly he is the person that lost the most here - Prigozhin is still alive, Wagner seemingly still kicking too, no charges and it got negotiated by Lukaschenko of all people.
His strongman image is over and things will def come crumbling for him now.
I am open to entertain the idea but I fail to see what would his play be - Prigozhins reasons are very clear as he stated them before and after the coup
He was tried of putting his best men and friends in body bags, being stuck in Bakhmut and the people above him in the pecking order, will he succeed remains to be seen but his reasons are understood
I posted this comment in another thread (hope it’s OK to link). TL;DR Putin has a track record of using bizarre public “emergencies”* to progress what he wants, maybe this is another one.
*e.g. Moscow theatre gassing, Beslan school massacre
I don’t think so - it made him look incredibly weak. Prigozhin getting as far as he did is just awful for him. That he had to negotiate at all. His speech yesterday was just a nothing burger - he didn’t even name Prigozhin, just alluded to him.
Honestly he is the person that lost the most here - Prigozhin is still alive, Wagner seemingly still kicking too, no charges and it got negotiated by Lukaschenko of all people.
His strongman image is over and things will def come crumbling for him now.
I am open to entertain the idea but I fail to see what would his play be - Prigozhins reasons are very clear as he stated them before and after the coup
He was tried of putting his best men and friends in body bags, being stuck in Bakhmut and the people above him in the pecking order, will he succeed remains to be seen but his reasons are understood