Kremlin boss Vladimir Putin warns of civil war in Russia. Many experts agree: Russia is on the verge of catastrophe, or so the tenor goes. In a few hours, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin could arrive in Moscow with his troops. Even the collapse of the Russian Federation, the largest country in the world, is at stake.
Fear reigns in the Russian presidential administration. Fighting could soon begin in the Russian capital. Yesterday, it was believed that Prigozhin was just bluffing, the independent Russian-Latvian news portal Medusa claims to have learned from two Kremlin officials. With the capture of the city of Rostov-on-Don by the Wagner fighters, the seriousness of the situation became apparent.
Even the Kremlin underestimated Prigozhin
When Putin called Prigozhin a “traitor” in his televised address at 10am, it was clear that the situation would no longer be resolved peacefully. The Kremlin also underestimated Prigozhin, the sources explain. It is true that the Wagner boss was talked about again and again. He was seen as a brutal trickster who did not follow rules.
Wagner boss thinks the country is behind him
The head of the Russian Wagner mercenaries, Yevgeny Prigoschin, thinks the country is behind him. The Russian people support him, Putin’s cook said in an audio message. His fighters captured the Russian military headquarters in the city of Rostov without firing a single shot.
According to Austrian political scientist Gerhard Mangott, Putin could soon have a “really big problem”. Namely when parts of the regular army show solidarity with the mercenary army. According to the political scientist, if the internal crisis worsens, Russia’s defense capacity in Ukraine could be weakened. At the same time, he warns of a military power struggle in Russia and refers to 6,000 nuclear warheads.
Putin’s leadership has failed
In particular, the possible solidarity of the Russian soldiers with the mercenaries was decisive for the success of the mercenary advance. However, there are currently no signals of this. The expert pointed out that Prigozhin openly questioned the rationality of the war in Ukraine, Putin’s justifications for the invasion, and rebelled against Russia’s military leadership. According to Mangott, the reason for the power struggle was the decree issued three weeks ago by the Russian Ministry of Defense that all paramilitary formations must report to the Ministry of Defense.
However, the leader of the mercenary group refuses. This custody battle has come to a head in recent weeks and has now openly escalated. “Putin has blatantly shown in recent months that his leadership has failed. Prigozhin repeatedly crossed red lines, but Putin let him go and did not rein him in,” the researcher said.
The following photos show the Wagner mercenaries on their way to Moscow:
Russia could now fall apart
“This means civil war in Russia and – I think – a gradual end to the war with Ukraine,” said St Petersburg historian Alexander Etkind, commenting on the uprising of mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. The professor at the Central European University (CEU) in Vienna also expects that current events could herald the end of Russia in its current form.
According to him, Prigozhin now has two options: a high-risk attack on Moscow or a less risky variant of maintaining his power in some regions of southern Russia. The latter would trigger processes in the Caucasus, lead to the secession of Chechnya and have a domino effect.
Everyone was wrong
However, Etkind did not believe that the dispute would end soon: “This variant existed until the appearance of (President Vladimir, ed.) Putin, who held all the cards and who (Minister of Defense Sergey, ed.) could have made Shoygu a scapegoat and found a match,” the historian explains.
The interpretation of Prigozhin’s activities as mainly propaganda, which dominated until Friday, once again illustrates that everyone was practically wrong in assessing the Russian events. “But today it is clear that this is not a game,” he said.
According to a Russian security insider, fighters from the Wagner mercenary group led by Prigozhin crossed the border into Russia and, according to a Russian security insider, checked military facilities in the city of Voronezh, 500 kilometers south of Moscow, on Saturday, according to a Russian security insider. The target is apparently the Russian capital, according to the British Ministry of Defence.
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.
