Wagner Group Mutiny

[LDAHL]

So I see the Wagner Group, formerly Putin’s go-to guys when a good atrocity is called for, have rebelled and are moving north. Some elements are about 250 road miles from Moscow. Russian regular forces seem oddly passive, except for another round of missile attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine.

[iris lilies]

Shocking. My completely unsophisticated view is brief optimism that someone is taking on Putin because maybe they want to end the endless war in the Ukraine? Or maybe they will just be worse.

[catherine]

I saw that Prigozhin back-pedaled a little to appease Putin, but I wonder where this insurrection will take them? I'm pretty sure Prigozhin will not be allowed to run for President at this point unlike other insurrectionists we know.

[littlebittybobby]

Okay---I found this online photo of da mayor of Kiev, in you kidses' favorite country. (see photo). But yeah---he used to be a pro heavyweight boxer, pretty hi ranking, too. Went a few rounds with Lennox Lewis, awhile back. Lewis is the one that had previously made Tysons' head spin. Yup. Hope that helps you some. Thankk mee. Maybe he and Putin ought to settle the dispute in person, steada lobbing bombs at schools & hospitals, etc. 55635563

[Rogar]

I'm sure there is more to come and more to the story, but it's pretty bizarre. The rebels fighting for Russia were advancing on Moscow for who knows what end. Then about 200 miles out reached some sort of deal and said, it's all off and back turned around.

[LDAHL]

Maybe he lost his nerve. Maybe some promised support didn’t materialize. Maybe the guy’s just nuts. It’s hard to believe Putin will just put the whole thing behind, given his need to play the strongman. There may be a defenestration or polonium smoothie in his future.

No doubt the Russian officer corps are thrilled to be welcoming thousands of embittered psychopaths into their ranks. The future of the Wagner troops currently committing war crimes in Africa and the Middle East remains unclear.

A bizarre episode that could well serve to weaken Putin going forward.

[Rogar]

Blinken was interviewed on one of the morning political shows and his answer to most of the questions was, we just don't know so far. I did sound like the militia would be folded back into the Russia regulars, although embittered sociopaths is probably a reasonable assumption.

[iris lilies]

And unstable Russia is not a good thing. Russians want a strongman leader. This is not looking good for Putin.

[LDAHL]

And unstable Russia is not a good thing. Russians want a strongman leader. This is not looking good for Putin.

I understand a purge of the military and other security agencies is underway in true Stalinist fashion.

[JaneV2.0]

I understand a purge of the military and other security agencies is underway in true Stalinist fashion.

Geez--I would have thought that with multiple defenestrations and poisoned umbrellas and polonium tea and etc., there would hardly be anyone left to purge.

[LDAHL]

Geez--I would have thought that with multiple defenestrations and poisoned umbrellas and polonium tea and etc., there would hardly be anyone left to purge.

If Russian history teaches us anything, it’s that there will always be another enemy.