Yevgeny Prigozhin, also known as “Putin’s cook”, head of the unscrupulous mercenary group “Wagner”, is currently causing a stir with a text he wrote himself calling for an early end to the war in Ukraine. He justified this step, among other things, with the fact that Russia would not survive a long war – the country would disintegrate. And according to him, even the Russian elites want a quick end.
“Today it is necessary for the state power and for society to put a big dot behind the special military operation,” exclaims Prigozhin. Because a long war, he believes, would lead to the disintegration of Russia. In reality, the Russian elites would also not support prolonged armed conflict and would much rather return to their normal lives, old habits and comforts.
Even after more than a year, Russian pro-Kremlin circles still routinely refer to the war as a “special military operation”. If you choose the ‘wrong’ (ie actually right) word – if you call the war war – you risk long prison terms in Russia.
Master of self-deception
Prigozhin further wrote in the text published Friday: “The ideal variant would be to announce the end of the military special operation and declare that Russia has achieved all its planned objectives – and in some respects we have actually achieved them. And : “For Russia there is always a risk that the situation at the front will deteriorate after the start of the (Ukrainian) counter-offensive.” Experts expect a Ukrainian offensive in the coming weeks.
“Bite in Occupied Territories”
The only option at the moment is to “get trapped” in the occupied territories, Prigozhin said. However, this would mean a withdrawal from the Kremlin’s actual war goals. These include the complete conquest of the four Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson, which Russia illegally annexed last year.
No negotiations
At the same time, however, Prigozhin, whose mercenaries are currently mainly fighting for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut (Russian name: Artemowsk), spoke out against any negotiations that would lead to the transfer of Russian-held territories to Ukraine. Contrary to his previous words, he also wrote that the fighting must continue – and threatened the Ukrainian army: “See you in Bakhmut.”
He later received comment from his press office on initial media reports of his alleged demand to end the war. The main message of his article was that there should be a “fair fight”, he clarified.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The attacked country has cited the withdrawal of all Russian troops from its territory and the reconquest of all occupied territories as one of the conditions for ending the war.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
